24 year old SVT

My 24 year old husband was just diagnosed with PSVT.  He was born with heart defects and they "magically" disappeared.  For the last year he has been suffering these attacks and insisted that he was having severe anxiety attacks.  Finally he agreed to go to a GP, she referred him to a cardiologist and said definately PSVT.  They recommended to see an Adult Congenital Heart Disease Specialist at the University of AZ,  Anyone been there???  I called for information and they do a ONCE A MONTH CLINIC!  Thats it!  The Cardiologist also recommended to do a 3 day monitoring for BETAPACE in the Hospital.  Anyone try that? Any luck?  How will this affect him the future? Will he live a full term life???  

[Jerry_NJ]

Sorry to read of the heart problems, and sorry too that someone who has more knowledge and answers hasn't responded.  That being the case I'll chip in what I have.

I don't know how the 3 clinic works but it sounds like something worth signing up for.  

I take it the cardiologist didn't put your husband on any prescription drugs.  I'm a little surprised but would conclude the doctor doesn't see you husband in any immediate danger.  As for a full term life, I'd guess that depends on future treatment.  These conditions can get worse and should be treated in my view.  Again, the 3 days in the hospital to go on Betapace seems like a big first step, I would expect trying some weaker drugs that don't require hospitalization to start would be a better first step.  Maybe the Clinic will make it all clearer.

[is_something_wrong]

Hello,

Jerry, you have great knowledge and you are the community leader in the arrhythmia community. I doubt anyone else can answer this question any better :)

I might as well share some thoughts, though they are basically the same as Jerry has told you.

PSVT is a common and not life threathening condition. There are many subtypes of PSVT and some are more benign than other, and it's of course depending on both the number of events, and their duration (from 3 heartbeats to days).

As you probably know, PSVT is a condition when another "pacemaker" above the heart chambers starts to fire quickly and "overrules" the sinus node (natural pacemaker).

PSVT can appear as panic attacks (similar symptoms), it can happen during panic attacks, and 70% of PSVT sufferers are also diagnosed with panic attacks. PSVT can cause panic attacks, and it can be caused by panic attacks.

For your information, J_baker, studies show that PSVT (even triggered by exercise) does not affect expected length of life.

PSVT is often first treated with medications, beta blockers and CCBs. Betapace is, however, a somewhat stronger drug, it is a beta blocker AND a potassium channel blocker (antiarrhythmic drug), with some side effects. I think it's fairly common to initiate treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs in a hospital, to see how someone tolerate it.

You don't specify what PSVT your husband is bothered with (AVNRT, AET, JET, WPW etc).

I have SVT and it's (fortunately) very little troublesome. I take a small dosage of beta blockers, I don't experience any significant side effects, and I don't get any events when I'm on beta blockers. If things should change (get worse) I know it's easily cureable with an ablation.

Good luck.

[celia2]

I am a RN who suffers from SVT.  I would say that Betapace is an excellent drug for treatment and have seen it used quite a bit.