Re: Supra-ventricular tachycardia

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/13/04 9:12:36 AM Pacific Standard Time,

germainefisher@... writes:

<< reasons for the EP study now

after two plus years of AFIB. She said that I may have a

supra-ventricular tachycardia that is setting off my AFIB

and the only way to tell is to do the study. I thought

AFIB was one of many supra-vetricular tachycardias. Any

smart people out there who can gently and in layman's terms

explain what I may not be 'getting' in this explanation? >>

That was EXACTLY my condition. I had SVT since birth, which started to show

symptoms I never told anyone about when I was 14. It never got bad till a

couple years ago when it started to trigger A-fib. Apparently they ARE both

SVTs, but actual SVT (from how it was explained to me) is ventribular and a-fib

is

atrial. I had an SVT ablation a year ago Dec. tht was supposed to " cure "

them both since the SVT was triggring the a-fib. Not only did that NOT happen,

but I had damage to my heart, so now I can't take ANY of the a-fib meds most of

you all can take, I still have SVT, I still have A-fib, and now I have a

third problem that has to do with my p-waves and when it happens feels like

a-fib

only hollower and weirder. It's very sad you only have one EP you can contact

and that he's so unresponsive. You deserve to have your questions answered

.... though when I had the ablation, I didn't know the questions to ask, nor had

I met the dr who did it (it was referred out) till I was in the prep room

outside the OR. None of the risks were explained to me and I freaked when he

said a pacemaker may be needed after ... he was a little annoyed that my

cardiologist had never told me that. Fortunately I didn't need that, but I did

end up

in the hospital for 4 days the day after the procedure. That's whenthe

p-wave and damage was diagnosed, though they never explained it to me (I think

they

were afraid I'd sue). And the notes from the dr who did the ablation were

three pages of total success. Obviously lies. It's a frustrating situation and

the main reason I have so little trust for doctors these days. Good luck to

you ... sounds like you're at the beginning of a frustrting ride.

Toni

CA

[Guest guest]

http://www.advocatehealth.com/system/info/library/articles/heartcare/c

ommon/supratac.html

[Guest guest]

<http://www.advocatehealth.com/system/info/library/articles/heartcare/

common/supratac.html>

[Guest guest]

<http://www.advocatehealth.com/system/info/library/articles/heartcare/

common/supratac.html>

[Guest guest]

Sorry for the broken link:

Here's is the article......

Supraventricular Tachycardia

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a general term describing any

rapid heart rate originating above the ventricles, or lower chambers

of the heart. SVT is an arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm.

Specific types of SVT include atrial fibrillation, AV nodal re-

entrant tachycardia, and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

SVT generally begins and ends quickly. Many people experience short

periods of SVT and have no symptoms. However, SVT becomes a problem

when it occurs frequently or lasts for long periods of time and

produces symptoms. Common symptoms associated with SVT include

palpitations, light headedness, and chest pain. SVT may also cause

confusion or loss of consciousness.

Treatment

Treatment of SVT is aimed at correcting the cause of the arrhythmia

or controlling the rapid heart rates. SVT can occur because of poor

oxygen flow to the heart muscle, lung disease, electrolyte

imbalances, high levels of certain medications in your body,

abnormalities of the heart's electrical conduction system, or

structural abnormalities of the heart. Your doctor will try to

correct the cause of the SVT. However, if there is no apparent cause

for the SVT, methods of controlling the periods of rapid heart rates

are tried. Medications are generally helpful in maintaining a normal

heart rhythm. Interventions such as cardioversion or

electrophysiology study/catheter ablation may be required to control

the SVT. Please refer to these sections for information on these

procedures.

http://www.advocatehealth.com 1.800.3.ADVOCATE / TDD

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[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/13/04 12:12:42 PM Eastern Standard Time,

germainefisher@... writes:

> supra-ventricular tachycardia

Hello Germaine,

I'm sorry to hear of your problem and related confusion. FYI, one of the top

EP's in the USA specializing in SVT's and related lower heart chamber diseases

is a Dr. Mark phson at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He

is chief of their Harvard-Thorndyke Heart Center and He is also a professor

of cardiovascular diseases

Harvard Medical School. He is very approachable and is an ex afibber himself.

If you want to know more about him go the keyword Dr. Mark phson and pick

your selections. He is said to be the gold standard for SVT's and other lower

heart issues.

Good luck and continue to ask lots of questions. Knowledge is power.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/13/04 12:12:42 PM Eastern Standard Time,

germainefisher@... writes:

> supra-ventricular tachycardia

Hello Germaine,

I'm sorry to hear of your problem and related confusion. FYI, one of the top

EP's in the USA specializing in SVT's and related lower heart chamber diseases

is a Dr. Mark phson at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He

is chief of their Harvard-Thorndyke Heart Center and He is also a professor

of cardiovascular diseases

Harvard Medical School. He is very approachable and is an ex afibber himself.

If you want to know more about him go the keyword Dr. Mark phson and pick

your selections. He is said to be the gold standard for SVT's and other lower

heart issues.

Good luck and continue to ask lots of questions. Knowledge is power.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/13/04 6:30:59 PM Pacific Standard Time,

Pagequeen1@... writes:

<< The medical tech at the Cardiologist I go to told me, be careful what

you read on the internet, when I told them how much I've been

studying on A-Fib.

Duh? >>

That's a BIG Duh Deb! The decent cardiologist I had at Kaiser LOVED that I

did internet research. Said it helped him to answer questions more thoroughly

and for him to know the level of understanding I had, which is 90% more than

most of his patients. He would correct or clarify things I might have read

that he didn't agree with, but any doctor (or tech) who is afraid of an educated

patient is an idiot ... run far ... run fast!

Toni

CA

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/13/04 6:30:59 PM Pacific Standard Time,

Pagequeen1@... writes:

<< The medical tech at the Cardiologist I go to told me, be careful what

you read on the internet, when I told them how much I've been

studying on A-Fib.

Duh? >>

That's a BIG Duh Deb! The decent cardiologist I had at Kaiser LOVED that I

did internet research. Said it helped him to answer questions more thoroughly

and for him to know the level of understanding I had, which is 90% more than

most of his patients. He would correct or clarify things I might have read

that he didn't agree with, but any doctor (or tech) who is afraid of an educated

patient is an idiot ... run far ... run fast!

Toni

CA

[Guest guest]

Germaine: Sounds to me like that nurse needs a refresher course in

P.R. (that's not public relations, but patient relations)

As you already know, SVT is just a collective terms for many heart

rhythm problems that start, or are caused by problems ABOVE the

ventricle. That's what SUPRA means, ABOVE. After all, the ventricle

is a relatively 'dumb' muscle that is usually only told what to do by

nerve impulses originating in the atrium. The study he is proposing

should be welcomed. ly, I'd be afraid of an E.P. who is not

finding out as much as he can about you before proposing a treatment

plan or a course of action.

As with so many doctors these days, not only E.P.'s, they only tell

you what they think you need to know. He probably was unaware of

your research through web pages such as this one and was afraid to

tell you too much for fear of confusing and scaring you. Between now

and your scheduled study read up on, and educate yourself as much as

possible. Learn all these 'Latin' based terms and what they mean so

that when you discuss the results of the study with the E.P.

afterwards, you will more clearly understand what is going on with

your heart. Remember, that pump inside your chest is yours. It may

be a relatively dumb organ, but it is probably high on the list of

all the critical ones in your body.

Just a wild guess on my part, but I would bet that the person you

talked to in the E.P.'s office was merely a scheduling clerk whose

primary job is to keep non critical calls from interupting the

workings in the back office where the doctors and nurses are doing

their work with scheduled patients. The answers you got seemed to be

from somebody who probably just learned to work the phone system last

week and had no idea what AFIB and SVT were all about.

The very apt motto of the Boy Scouts should be your goal for the next

visit to the doctor, " Be Prepared " .

S.

> Hello all,

>

> I had a terribly frustrating telephone conversation with my

> EP'S nurse yesterday. <snip>

> Germaine

> Canada

___________________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

The medical tech at the Cardiologist I go to told me, be careful what

you read on the internet, when I told them how much I've been

studying on A-Fib.

Duh?

Debbi, OU Alum in OKC

but patient relations

> As with so many doctors these days, not only E.P.'s, they only tell

> you what they think you need to know. He probably was unaware of

> your research through web pages such as this one and was afraid to

> tell you too much for fear of confusing and scaring you. Between

now

> and your scheduled study read up on, and educate yourself as much

as

> possible.

[Guest guest]

The medical tech at the Cardiologist I go to told me, be careful what

you read on the internet, when I told them how much I've been

studying on A-Fib.

Duh?

Debbi, OU Alum in OKC

but patient relations

> As with so many doctors these days, not only E.P.'s, they only tell

> you what they think you need to know. He probably was unaware of

> your research through web pages such as this one and was afraid to

> tell you too much for fear of confusing and scaring you. Between

now

> and your scheduled study read up on, and educate yourself as much

as

> possible.

[Guest guest]

The cardio seemed to like the fact that I was " literate " in a-fib-

ology. It was the tech who told me that. I just wonder how the

Doctor is going to react when I tell him I don't want to participate

in his study........that will tell the tale.

Debbi, OU Alum in OKC

>

> That's a BIG Duh Deb! The decent cardiologist I had at Kaiser

LOVED that I

> did internet research. Said it helped him to answer questions more

thoroughly

> and for him to know the level of understanding I had, which is 90%

more than

> most of his patients. He would correct or clarify things I might

have read

> that he didn't agree with, but any doctor (or tech) who is afraid

of an educated

> patient is an idiot ... run far ... run fast!

>

> Toni

> CA

[Guest guest]

The cardio seemed to like the fact that I was " literate " in a-fib-

ology. It was the tech who told me that. I just wonder how the

Doctor is going to react when I tell him I don't want to participate

in his study........that will tell the tale.

Debbi, OU Alum in OKC

>

> That's a BIG Duh Deb! The decent cardiologist I had at Kaiser

LOVED that I

> did internet research. Said it helped him to answer questions more

thoroughly

> and for him to know the level of understanding I had, which is 90%

more than

> most of his patients. He would correct or clarify things I might

have read

> that he didn't agree with, but any doctor (or tech) who is afraid

of an educated

> patient is an idiot ... run far ... run fast!

>

> Toni

> CA

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/14/04 2:04:15 PM Pacific Standard Time,

mebellissima@... writes:

> All arryhthmias coming from the upper chambers of the heart are called

> supraventricular tachycardia or SVT.

I don't think this is true, but I could be wrong. As it was explained to me,

SVT means it was in the upper part of the lower chamber, or ventricle (versus

the upper chambers, atria).

Toni

CA

[Guest guest]

> From: indiaink99@...

> Date: 3/13/04, 1:27 PM -0500

>

snip

> but actual SVT (from how it was explained to me)

> is ventribular and a-fib is atrial.

You didn't ask why it is called SVT although it is

" ventricular, " did you? (The " S " stands for above.

(Historically, the medicine men used Latin as their

language.))

Debbi's message about Supra-ventricular tachycardia:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/message/25755

[Guest guest]

> From: indiaink99@...

> Date: 3/13/04, 1:27 PM -0500

>

snip

> but actual SVT (from how it was explained to me)

> is ventribular and a-fib is atrial.

You didn't ask why it is called SVT although it is

" ventricular, " did you? (The " S " stands for above.

(Historically, the medicine men used Latin as their

language.))

Debbi's message about Supra-ventricular tachycardia:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/message/25755

[Guest guest]

> From: indiaink99@...

> Date: 3/13/04, 1:27 PM -0500

>

snip

> but actual SVT (from how it was explained to me)

> is ventribular and a-fib is atrial.

You didn't ask why it is called SVT although it is

" ventricular, " did you? (The " S " stands for above.

(Historically, the medicine men used Latin as their

language.))

Debbi's message about Supra-ventricular tachycardia:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport/message/25755

[Guest guest]

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a common clinical condition, is any

tachyarrhythmia that requires only atrial and/or atrioventricular (AV) nodal

tissue for its initiation and maintenance. It is usually a narrow-complex

tachycardia that has a regular, rapid rhythm; exceptions include atrial

fibrillation (AF) and multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT).

SVTs happen in the upper chambers of the heart.. afib is just one type of SVT

(there are many others).. I keep seeing mention of SVTs being in the ventricles,

which they are not.

Stef

[Guest guest]

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a common clinical condition, is any

tachyarrhythmia that requires only atrial and/or atrioventricular (AV) nodal

tissue for its initiation and maintenance. It is usually a narrow-complex

tachycardia that has a regular, rapid rhythm; exceptions include atrial

fibrillation (AF) and multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT).

SVTs happen in the upper chambers of the heart.. afib is just one type of SVT

(there are many others).. I keep seeing mention of SVTs being in the ventricles,

which they are not.

Stef

[Guest guest]

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a common clinical condition, is any

tachyarrhythmia that requires only atrial and/or atrioventricular (AV) nodal

tissue for its initiation and maintenance. It is usually a narrow-complex

tachycardia that has a regular, rapid rhythm; exceptions include atrial

fibrillation (AF) and multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT).

SVTs happen in the upper chambers of the heart.. afib is just one type of SVT

(there are many others).. I keep seeing mention of SVTs being in the ventricles,

which they are not.

Stef