Supraventricular arrhythmia

Supraventricular arrhythmia is a type of heart rhythm disorder that originates above the ventricles of the heart. This condition is characterized by abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias, that start in the atria or the atrioventricular node (AV node), which are located in the upper part of the heart.

Types of Supraventricular Arrhythmias

There are several types of supraventricular arrhythmias, including:

• Atrial fibrillation (AF): This is the most common type of serious arrhythmia. It's a very fast, irregular rhythm where multiple signals occur in the atria.

• Atrial flutter: This is similar to AF but the rhythm in your atria is more organized and less chaotic than the abnormal patterns caused by atrial fibrillation.

• Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT): This is a rapid heart rate that begins and ends suddenly.

• Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: This is a condition in which there is an extra electrical pathway in the heart, causing a rapid heartbeat.

Symptoms

Symptoms of supraventricular arrhythmias may include palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and fainting (syncope).

Diagnosis

Supraventricular arrhythmias are typically diagnosed through electrocardiogram (ECG), Holter monitor, event monitor, or electrophysiology study (EPS).

Treatment

Treatment for supraventricular arrhythmias may include medications, lifestyle changes, cardioversion, catheter ablation, or pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation.

See Also

• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Cardiology
• Electrophysiology