Questions posted in the
Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
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Subject: Re: PSVT I am a 53 year old female. Most of my adult life I have experienced episodes of a rapid heartbeat - palpitations- that last a short time. I usually can control them by holding my breath, coughing, drinking a glass of water, etc. Occasionally I have just had to wait it out. This took much longer -- as much as twenty minutes -- and left me feeling weak and light-headed. For years, whenever I took my symptoms to a doctor nothing could be found. I was given tranquilizers and told to not worry so much. I never felt I was being taken seriously. So I stopped telling my doctor about the problem. Two years ago I found an article in the newspaper about PSVT. It sounded so much like what I have experienced that I took it to my present doctor (family practitioner) and she did some tests: EKG, thyroid, and holter monitor for 24 hours. She concluded that my condition was probably PSVT and left it at that. Since then I found out my mother has been having similar episodes and her doctor put her on Atenolol, which has helped. Now I find that my teenage daughter, who has been having panic attacks, has been experiencing the same PSVT symptoms as I have. Does this condition run in families? Do we need to see a specialist? If so, do I need to ask my family doctor to refer us? Foryears I just dealt with this problem, but it is to some extent running my life, and I see the same thing happening to my daughter.
________ Dear Carole, thank you for your question. You may well have PSVT (paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia), but the only way to prove this diagnosis would be for you to wear a long-term cardiac monitor for (2-4 weeks) to document your heart rhythm during one of these episodes. Alternatively, you may just be having frequent premature beats which are usually benign and can be precipitated by alcohol, tobacco, stress, and caffeine. Thus, I recommend that you avoid these precipitants and that you seek treatment for panic disorder (if you have symptoms consistent with panic disorder). Certain types of PSVT have a genetic linkage, but that cannot be determined until you are proven to have PSVT. I think it would help if you see a cardiologist to resolve the uncertainty about your diagnosis. I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions. Good luck! If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem. | |
