Sinus tachycardia

Sinus tachycardia

Sinus tachycardia is secondary to a primary cause like fever, hyperthyroidism, heart failure, anxiety etc. Sometimes it can cause difficulty in diagnosis especially when associated with a wide QRS due to aberrancy or bundle branch block. Carotid sinus massage may be useful to slow down the rhythm a bit to make the P waves more discernible in some cases. Treatment is directed at the primary cause rather than the tachycardia. Pure sinus node inhibitors like ivabradine can reduce the sinus rate without suppressing the AV nodal conduction and is sometimes needed.