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Can SVT Go Into Sinus Tachycardia?

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rchrbl
rchrbl

How can you tell the difference between Sinus Tachycardia Vs SVT. I was sitting on my computer and slowly felt my heart rate increasing. As I stood, it began to pound faster. I took my pulse and it was about 178 which is the fastest I've seen it go. It lasted for a few seconds then dropped to about 150. I call 911 because I started getting tightness in my chest and feeling of shortness of breath. When they came my heart rate was then 140 and they called it Sinus Tachycardia. Heart was beating at around 90 - 102 for 2 hours at the ER and still beating a little fast now. It's slowly coming down. I have a history of panic attacks but never remember my heart beating this fast. I was anxious for a while before and was having palpitations before it started. However, I was calm when this happened. Could you have SVT that goes into sinus tachycardia? How can you tell the difference?

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • david76205
    david76205 rchrbl

    Posted

    More interested that you were sitting at the computer. The heart thing is normal for me anyway when having panic attack. The heart pounding leads to worry and then what are your coworkers going to say? So you worry some more and heart rate goes up, blood pressure shoots fire through your veins, and then you can't breath. Yeah, been there. Scary.  I work on the computer all day, 10 hours a day. I have panic attacks too. Wonder if there's a connection with the computer? 

    • rchrbl
      rchrbl david76205

      Posted

      That's interesting. I was anxious for a while before but I calmed down. Then my heart just seemed to randomly start beating fast, it started at 140 and when I stood and it started going faster and it shot up to 178. The highest I've ever seen. The shortness of breath is what prompted me to call the paramedics. I sat for a few minutes and it dropped back down to 150 then 130. When the paramedics came it went back to 140 as they were doing the EKG and checking my pressure. They saw only sinus tach. on the EKG they weren't able to catch my heart at 178 as it only lasted for a short while like a minute or so. It's weird because I usually know when I'm having a panic attack and always have a trigger. This time I didn't have one I am aware of.

    • david76205
      david76205 rchrbl

      Posted

      Well, they would have told you by now if there was something really wrong. I am interested that you were at the computer because I was clear of panic attacks for 8 years and just recently started having the again two weeks ago. Mine started at the computer too and I had to leave work at lunch time and go home for the day. I already had a clue what it was because I experienced similar but much worse attacks 8 years ago. I am now playing detective and kind of recreating the crime scene to determine the trigger for this latest attack. I wish there was a way to find out if others also spend a lot of time on the computer. I know certain light and wave lengths affect the brain differently. As when they use strobe to help epileptics with seizures (are you with me so far?) . So maybe the computer screen and how close we sit to it and stare at it affect our brain too? Is it possible ? 
    • rchrbl
      rchrbl david76205

      Posted

      Yeah, most of the time I experience some anxiety on the computer which I never really thought about until now. I never had a panic attack while on the computer, just feelings of anxiety and uneasiness. This is the first time a panic attack has happened. I'm still not sure if it was actually a panic attack because I am usually really anxious before it happens. I was actually calm.

    • david76205
      david76205 rchrbl

      Posted

      I was calm up until the point it happened to me too. Was having a good day. No problems then heart just started racing for no reason and fire shot through my veins like a poison. I wanted to jump out of my skin. Heart pounding and mind racing in fear someone would see me like that and then I just had to leave work as quickly as I could. I could not get enough oxygen it seemed. 
  • david76205
    david76205 rchrbl

    Posted

    By the way, the SVT and Sinus Tachycardia are your pulse versus your heart rate. Directly related but different if that makes sense. Girlfriend described it as, one tells how fast your heart is beating compared to the flow of blood your heart is pumping. 
    • rchrbl
      rchrbl david76205

      Posted

      So I might have had a panic attack because that sounds exactly like what happened to me.
    • david76205
      david76205 rchrbl

      Posted

      The likely scenario once all else is ruled out. And seeing how you have had problem with anxiety before... I mean. But if you really want to be sure go to doctor and get more tests done. I smoke and am over weight in my late 40s so I am prime for heart attack, instead I get panic attacks. Go figure
  • Nathaniel34
    Nathaniel34 rchrbl

    Posted

    I've delt with the same thing .. I've went to the hospital with 170-199 BPM . They said it was SVT, ever since I've had problems with panic attacks. I was prescribed beta blockers to slow heart rate down. 

    • david76205
      david76205 Nathaniel34

      Posted

      Curious, do you work with computers on a daily basis? Trying to find a common link here and perhaps the trigger. I was symptom free for 8 years and then one day 2 weeks ago, boom, hit me like a wave at work. 
    • Nathaniel34
      Nathaniel34 david76205

      Posted

      No , I do not work on computers daily. Just on my phone a lot surfing the web 
    • david76205
      david76205 Nathaniel34

      Posted

      Thanks for the input. Maybe the phone and surfing the web is in same category as computers? Put out the same light bands? Maybe we are just all bored, maybe we need to run a mile everyday? I don't know the answer, just know I would like to see more studies done on the subject. I hate taking meds but it seems to be the only way to treat these symptoms. 

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