heart tachycardia

[jistu]

my partner age 74 has been experiencing bouts with rapid heart rate, one recently that lasted twelve hours before it went back to normal. He has had bouts with this throughout his life but they are becoming more frequent and lasting longer ( one a month for the past three months) He has gone in the past to emergency to have the rate changed but wishes that he could do something to stop it when it starts. He was on verapamil for seven years before I knew him but it never changed his sudden high heart rate. He does not have a colesterol problem, eats heart healthy, does not have any caffine, or smoke or drink alcohol and is on no medications presently. His blood pressure is 148/72 usually.
Is there something he can do at home to trigger his heart to beat normally again?  Is it damaging for him to go through these episodes?  They are never triggered by physical activity that is strenuous and stress test have all proved invaluable.

[jistu]

Pulse rate about 150 during episodes. sometimes they only happen once  year but now they are happening once a month.  He has not tried the deep breathing but he will lie down durring the episodes until they go. He has a deep shock pain sometimes just before it flips back to normal and he has a flushing sound in his chest. He is worn out after but fine sometimes for months after.

[Jerry_NJ]

How fast is the "rapid heart rate"?  That is, how many beats per minute?  What is the normal HR?

Rapid heart rate is frequently treated with a  beta blocker, but if the rapid heart rate is infrequent taking medications may not be the best solution.

I have read people taking about deep breathing, and other relaxation methods to calm down a rapid heart beat.  I'm not sure on the specifics of the deep breathing, you may have to try some variations.