The Greek word "tachycardia" simply means a rapid or accelerated heartbeat. Broken down by definition "tachys" means rapid and "kardia" means of the heart. It mainly refers to the cardiac rhythm, which can produce a ventricular or atrial rate greater than 100 beats per minute. While tachycardia does not usually imply underlying heart disease, it can bring about acute oxygen deficiency and lead to angina or cause a myocardial infarction if severe enough.
There are two categories when dealing with tachycardias: supraventricular and ventricular. Supraventricular tachycardias originate in the upper chambers of the heart and cause interference with the blood flow into the ventricles. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid breathing, dizziness, and in some severe cases loss of consciousness. Ventricular tachycardias occur in the hearts lower chambers and are usually medical emergcencies. It is often the common lethal complication of a heart attack. Sinus tachycardia (supraventricular) is the most common and is brought about by stress, fever, dehydration and shock.
Risk factors for tachycardia include coronary heart disease, heart attack, heart valve failure, asthma, blood clots in the lung, and even severe lung disease.
Treatment for tachycardia depends on the cause and type. Some types of tachycardias are relatively harmless such as sinus tachycardia, which usually doesn't require any specific treatment other than resolution of the cause. If the tachycardia is severe enough or it comes from the ventricle, immediate medical attention will be required and either injectable medication or electric shock will be necessary.
For most, a single isolated incident of tachycardia requires no future treatment, but for those with more frequent episodes or disabling symptoms, a form of preventive therapy may be in order. Beta blockers, verapamil, and AV nodal blocking agents usually have a good effect. For more serious cases, such as those caused by a re-entrant pathway, radio frequency ablation is one of the best options. It's a low risk procedure that delivers radio frequency energy from inside the heart through a catheter and has been shown to be up to 99% effective.
Depending on the cause, tachycardia can last a long time. It is important to stay in the care of a good doctor/cardiologist. It may be wise to monitor the condition from home, by checking your pulse when the symptoms arise and recording it in a diary. Avoiding caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can help to keep your heart rate lower. If symptoms persist or worsen, it is wise to seek out medical attention.
Tags: cause tachycardia, heart attack, heart disease, means rapid, medical attention, radio frequency