Hi,
I have a fifteen year old daughter who had a rapid heart beat last night around 8:20. She had just finished eating a late dinner, and was relaxing on the couch when the episode occured. She was very calm when she approached me and told me her heart was racing. I, having svt myself, told her to sit down, and I checked her pusle. She had a heart rate of 144 beats per minute. I got her to cough several times, and contiuned to monitor her heart rate. After about ten minutes I drove her to the fire station near our house. After monitoring her heart rate at 152 beats per minute, the first responders suggested I take her to the hospital. Her heart finally slowed to 90 beats per minute at 9:55 . They took blood work, an ekg, and told me everything was fine. They said it looked like sinus tachycardia, and told me to not let her have any caffine or chocolate. She is going to see a cardiologist next week. I was so concerned about her heart beating that fast for so long. Something had to have triggered this episode. She is a cheerleader who had practice from 4:00 until 6:30 that evening. She was fine when she got in the car and traveled home. She is a very laid back calm child, who never once panicked during the entire episode. I just need to know if her heart racing that long, at that rate is dangerous. ALso, is there ususally a underlying cause for sinus tachycardia? I am so worried something will happen to her before I get her to the doctor.