Supraventricular Tachycardia

Supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs) comprise a group of arrhythmias for which the atria and/or atrioventricular (AV) node are integral to sustaining the rhythm. These arrhythmias typically have a benign natural history but account for a considerable proportion of patients presenting with symptoms including palpitations, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, dizziness, and, on occasion, syncope. They affect a broad range of patients, from young, otherwise healthy adults and children to elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. Although medical management with AV nodal blocking medications or antiarrhythmic medications is a reasonable first-line approach, catheter ablation is a definitive, most often curable option that has minimal risk and offers the chance of avoiding long-term medications. This chapter covers the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of SVTs, which include atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT), atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT), atrial tachycardia (AT), and others (atrial flutter, inappropriate sinus tachycardia, and junctional tachycardia). Atrial fibrillation, which is more prevalent than all other SVTs combined, are discussed