Heart Rhythm Disorders: Supraventricular Tachycardia

Symptoms

Although not everyone with SVT has symptoms, the most common type are heart palpitations—a feeling of a racing heart or fluttering or pounding in the chest. Other symptoms include:

• dizziness
• shortness of breath
• chest pain
• a pounding sensation in the throat or neck
• weakness
• fatigue
• lightheadedness
• fainting (especially in the case of underlying heart disease)

Risk Factors

Risk factors for SVT vary, but can include gender, age, and underlying disease. Depending on the type of SVT, the following things may be risk factors:

• gender
• age
• abnormal heart structures
• existing illness (such as long-term lung disease, diabetes, respiratory failure, inadequate oxygen intake, heart disease, low blood pressure, anemia, cancer, fever, and hyperthyroidism)
• toxic reactions from the heart medication digoxin, or alcohol
• exercise
• pregnancy
• emotions
• pain
• heart valve surgery.