Treatment

SVT can be treated and, in many cases, controlled over the long-term. Sometimes SVT can be cured with a procedure called a catheter ablation.

Treatment will depend on:

1. How often you have symptoms or notice that your heart starts beating too fast
2. How it affects your daily life (be sure to share your worries and if symptoms are limiting what you feel you can do or not do) 
3. The specific type of SVT you have

Your care team may talk about a few treatment options including vagal maneuvers, medications or catheter ablation.

Vagal maneuvers  

These are simple actions that may help slow your heart rate or stop an SVT episode. They are generally used for short-term symptom relief and may be most helpful for people with occasional or mild episodes. 

Common examples include:

• Coughing
• Holding your breath and bearing down (like when you are trying to have a bowel movement)
• Splashing cold water on your face 

Medications

Medications may be recommended to help slow or control your heart rate, and help prevent or reduce how often SVTs occur. These may include:

• Beta-blockers
• Calcium channel blockers
• Antiarrhythmic drugs 

Catheter ablation

Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that treats the area in the heart causing the faulty or misdirected signal that is causing SVT. 

A thin, flexible tube (catheter) is inserted and guided through a blood vessel into the heart. Heat or cold is applied to destroy the area causing the fast heartbeat.