arrythmia question

Hi, I am a 43yo female with a history of pvc's, pac's and pvst.  I do not know when I am having an episode of the racing except if I actually feel my pulse.  Then it feels like a sewing machine beating.  My question is, how long can it race like this before you would want to ablate it?  It only lasts a minute or so and only happens a few times a month (according to the holter test) and my cardiologist seems to feel that it is fine to not treat unless I get more and longer runs.  Is this something that usually gets worse? and when it does, how will I know, because I usually don't feel it?  Thanks for answering all of these questions.  Your service is really a nice thing.

[Cleveland Clinic]

larandsandy,

thanks for the post.

Extended periods of excessive tachycardia can lead to cardiac damage. Isolated and sporadic episodes of PSVT or PACs will not cause any problems. If this is all you are having, there really would be no reason to be any more aggressive with treatment as long as you remain without symptoms.

I would imagine if you were to have the rhythms with more frequency  you would most likely have some type of symptoms. Most people have minor fluctuations in their symptoms over time, but do not progress markedly. Unless you were to have a marked change, I wouldnt think too much of it and continue regular followup with your physicians.

good luck

[anacyde]

Thank you for asking that, I had the exact same question about PSVT (how long before treating it).

[CollegeGirl143]

I think for most people it is usually a personal choice, unless you have abnormalities that can make svt life threatening. Also, if it starts interfering with your quality of life ablation should be considered.

[miche35]

Would you guys mind explaining the PSVT to me please?  I am just trying to figure out how long PSVT lasts, from when it becomes SVT.  I was diagnosed with SVT on my holter, 2 brief episodes, only 6 seconds long, but I have had longer runs of them not on the holter, when I'm having my anxiety attacks, somewhere in there while my heart is racing from my panic, I feel pac's and then I don't know if it's svt or still in sinus tach.  Anacyde, you tried to explain it to me in an email, but I'm still trying to differentiate the two, because I get pac's all the time with just sinus tach, so hard for me to tell when I have sinus tach vs svt, and the difference in svt and psvt.
Thanks everyone.  Michelle

[anacyde]

I think in the case where the person experiencing it can't differentiate, only a Holter or EKG could determine.  The symptoms (be it of PAC, PVC, PSVT) can all feel extremely similar.  Myself, I have a spine abnormality so I feel what most people do not.  I have amazed doctors, nurses and ER staff alike by turning my back to a running EKG and saying, "There's a PAC.  Another PAC.  That one was a PVC.  Oh, another atrial one..."

People were coming to my room just to witness my "magic show", lol  

That was when I was pregnant with my first.  I had an episode, for whatever reason, where I was throwing PACs and PVCs left and right, several of each per minute.  No one could believe I felt every one much less could tell which chamber the ectopic came from.  It all stopped as quickly as it started, and that was that.

[miche35]

Hey, thanks for both of your comments to me (the other on the message board)  
Can you tell me the difference in psvt and svt?  Is it just when svt occurs for only a few seconds instead of minutes?

[emilycaitlin]

Michelle, I know psvt stands for paroxsymal supraventricular tachycardia, have no idea the difference between psvt and svt though, or if there even is a difference. The dr always calls mine svt.

PSVT is defined by the Merck Manual as: A condition in which the heart rate suddenly increases to 100 to 200 beats/min and 1:1 A-V conduction is maintained.

It goes on to say, However conducted retrogradely, once the impulse is in the atrium, if the AV node is again receptive, the cycle may be repeated continuously. The result is supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).

I think this is talking about how once it begins to choose the wrong pathway, it will continue to want to choose this incorrect pathway over the correct one, resulting in SVT. That's the way my GP explained it to me anyway. Maybe someone else will come along and shed some more light, hope you are doing ok :) em

[PaladinX]

I think im giving up trying to post on here.. ive been trying for weeks

[Momto3]

miche,

Here is a link to help with the definition of PSVT.  This turned up on the heart forum site when I searched "PSVT"

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000183.htm

When I searched for "SVT" the site directed me back to PSVT....Seems they may be one in the same. The "P" (paroxymal) simply means intermittant.

In my situation, "SVT" alwayes means "sustained VT", and opposed to NSVT (non sustained).  I think the acronyms are sometimes used differently by different people.



palandix,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble posting.  Try between 7:00 and 8:30 a.m. EST.  That seems to be a good time.  Hope it works for you.


Connie

[gbre363]

I am a 43 yr old male with supposedly benign PVCs and Pacs,I usually get increased PVcs after eating but two days ago I awoke
with PVCs after every 1-3 beats and they are still very frequent
after two days,and a visit to the ER and a prescription of Xanax,I am doing slightly better,I also take Verapamil (180mg.)
I have had the Echo,stress and event and shoulder monitor with no underlying heart disease detected.
My concern or question is will this high number of PVCs cause future heart structurel damage especially in the left vent.
my cardiologist says I don't have enough I am curious if everyone
has ask this question and the answer they got.
Yes,these are tough to handle when they increase like they have right now.

[woodruff]

Yeah, most of us here have experienced what you're going through.  It would be hard to summarize it, but we have posted tons of information about what we've learned.  To get some idea, type "PVCs" into the search box up on the top right area of the page, and just start reading.