Sinus tachycardia

Sinus tachycardia is a common type of heart rhythm characterized by a faster-than-normal rate of impulses in the sinoatrial node—the natural pacemaker of the heart.

12 lead sinus tachycardia young

Overview

Sinus tachycardia is characterized by a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute in adults. It is a normal physiological response to stress, exercise, or situations that require increased cardiac output. However, in some cases, it may be a sign of an underlying medical condition or a side effect of certain medications.

Causes and Types

Sinus tachycardia can be categorized as either physiological (normal response) or pathological (due to an underlying disease).

Physiological Sinus Tachycardia

This type of sinus tachycardia occurs as a normal response to situations such as exercise, stress, anxiety, fear, fever, dehydration, or excessive intake of substances such as caffeine and nicotine.

Pathological Sinus Tachycardia

This type of sinus tachycardia is caused by an underlying medical condition such as anemia, hyperthyroidism, heart failure, pulmonary embolism, or hemorrhage.

Symptoms

While sinus tachycardia itself is usually not harmful, it may cause symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, angina (chest pain), or fainting in some individuals.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis typically involves a thorough medical history, physical examination, and an electrocardiogram (ECG), which can confirm the fast heart rate and identify its sinus origin. Further testing may be performed to determine an underlying cause, if suspected.

Treatment

The treatment of sinus tachycardia is usually directed at the underlying cause. If it is due to a physiological response, no treatment may be necessary. If it is due to an underlying medical condition, treating that condition often resolves the sinus tachycardia.

References

<references>

• "Sinus tachycardia". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
• "Sinus tachycardia". American Heart Association. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
• Olgin JE, Zipes DP. "Specific Arrhythmias: Diagnosis and Treatment". In: Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019.

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