Is SVT a Dangerous Arrhythmia?

Is SVT a dangerous arrhythmia?

ECG strip showing supraventricular tachycardia

Supraventricular tachycardia known in short as SVT, is a fast regular heart rhythm originating above the ventricles, usually in the atrioventricular node or in the atrium. Usually it is not fatal and can be treated in any cardiac set up. If left untreated for a long period, it can weaken the heart due to overwork, a condition known as tachycardiomyopathy.

Recurrence can be prevented either by long term medication or by a procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. In radiofrequency catheter ablation, the source of the tachycardia is initially identified by mapping with multiple electrodes within the heart. Once the site is localised, radiofrequency energy is delivered at the site using an ablation catheter and the abnormal focus is elliminated.