My teenage daughter has SVT and the doctor wants to do an electrophysiology and radiofrequency ablation?

Question

procedure. He said then she won't need medication because the medication doesn't quarantee her not having another episode of tachycardia. Is this so? I was told by other doctors before that she would be on meds for life, but the meds would keep her heart working normally. I'm confused. Any info you can give me on SVT would be appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

I have SVT as well, and have since about age 14 (I'm 29 now). Simply put, there is a spot in the heart where the electric waves go haywire and cause the heart to beat erractically. The resulting tachycardia or arrhythmia is scary but passes after a while. It's not life threatening but can lead to other heart problems on down the road, not to mention it's just very bothersome and uncomfortable - and frightening. I was told for a long time that it was from anxiety until a bad spell of my heart racing 220-240 for a few hours got me an ambulance ride to the hospital with a cardiologist who took it seriously. I was placed on propanolol which made me feel miserable, it made my bp too low. My only other option is the ablation, which I hear is a very easy procedure and has a very high rate of success at stopping the tachycardia. I haven't had too many episodes of it in the past few years so I've opted not to take meds, but still thinking about having the ablation so it's not a concern at all. I so wish it had been diagnosed years ago so I could've had the ablation and not had to endure all those severe episodes. There were many times I thought I'd die sitting in the nurse's office at school because no one could tell me what was wrong with me so I always imagined the worst - that I was having a heart attack.

In an ablation, they zap the tissue that malfunctions so med should be unnecessary. The meds don't prevent another spot from forming, they just help control the rate/pressure of the heartbeat, so in that respect no, it doesn't guarantee she'll never experience this again. The question here is why medicate an otherwise healthy girl on the slim chance that this very treatable condition could occur again. Some docs that you can outgrow this condition and some say no. My episodes are certainly not as frequent as they used to be, or as severe, but they are definitely still present.

Answer 2

Ablation is a common procedure for SVT, and the only 'cure.' Meds just control the heart rate, hopefully by preventing it from re-occuring. But, in ablation, they actually 'burn' the source in the heart that originates the impulse to make the heart beat fast. A co-worker of mine had it, and it has never returned. Easy outpatient procedure. It's like a heart cath. Very rarely the SVt can return, possibly from a different site. They really have come a long way in treating this. Years ago, meds were the only treatment, and going to the ER and getting more meds to re-regulate the heart or 'shocking' the heart back into rhythm. Go to web MD,or google SVT, they're bound to have more info. Good luck Also, try HeartSite.com may have something there!

Answer 3

radiofrequency ablation isthe treatment of choice if there are abberant pathways (electical conduction) that lead to SVT. Its nothign but cuttting off the additional abnormal conduction pathways. I would strongly recommedn ablation if the electrophysilogical studies suggest existence of abberant pathways

Answer 4

Ablation sounds like the better option to me.

adding chemicals to the body to regulate symptoms or eliminating the cause of the symptoms are the choices you have for your child.

which would you choose for yourself?

Answer 5

wow, two whole compliments?? make that a credit card or a helicopter!