ectopic atrial tachycardia

  Recently my 12 year old daughter has been experiencing a pulse rate in the range of 100 to 130 bpm, and was diagnosed with ectopic atrial tachycardia.  What is the normal treatment for this condition, and is this a serious condition?  This diagnoses was made by a pediatric cardiologist.  Any information would be helpful.

[CCF CARDIO MD DLB]

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Dear Joe
This represents a fast heart rate originating from the atrial chambers of the heart. It usually causes a sensation of palpitations. If these are bothersome, medications can be used to slow down the heart rate. If the palpitations occur frequently or are even faster at times, your daughter may be a candidate for an ablation procedure that eliminates the tachycardia altogether. A pediatric cardiac electrophysiologist would be the appropriate person to perform this procedure.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. 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.