SVT

SVT, or Supraventricular Tachycardia, is a congenital heart condition that I was born with. Not many people know this about me but on many occasion my heart will beat over 200 beats per minute. It only lasts for a few minutes and I can usually stop it by "bearing down." To do this I have to hold my breath and push down, if that makes any sense. When I go into SVT my heart also has palpitations.

Here is a clinical definition of SVT:

"Tachycardia means a fast heart rate. Supraventricular means 'coming from above the ventricle'. During an episode of SVT, the heartbeat is not controlled by the SA node (the normal timer of the heart). Another part of the heart overrides this timer with faster impulses. The source or 'trigger' of the impulse in an SVT is somewhere above ('supra') the ventricles, but the impulse then spreads to the ventricles. The heart then contacts (beats) faster than normal. For example:

• A 'short circuit' in the heart's electrical pathways may develop. The most common cause of SVT is an abnormal extra pathway from the AV node to the ventricles. This can make electrical impulses go round and round this section of the heart.
• A small area in one of the atria may become more 'excitable' than usual and start to produce electrical impulses."

So, as my Doctors explained it, my heart has this extra electrical pathway that causes my heart to beat 200+ beats a minute. Mine becomes very obvious because when I go into SVT you can see my heart beating. Weird, yes I know, but my heart often has palpitations (without SVT) and always does when I have SVT. A palpitation is just when you can feel/see your heart beat. When I go into SVT you can see my shirt move and my heart beating over 200 bpm.

So, why am I sharing this?
Well, mainly because of MckMama's blog (http://mycharmingkids.net) and her son Stellan who has SVT but also because I have been experiencing a lot of this lately. Whether it be stress or whatnot, it is at the top of my mind.

I empathize with little Stellan and want nothing more than to see him healthy and not having this SVT rear it's ugly head.

God Bless Stellan, we are all thinking of you!!