What’s The Difference

[Vagus]

Between SVT and atrial fibrillation?
How are they both diagnosed, do they show up differently on a heart monitor thing?
Is one more serious than the other?
Thanks.

[bookbinder]

With supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), the heart beats faster than normal. It's not usually regarded as serious, but some patients may require some medical attention.
With atrial fibrillation, you get something of the opposite effect. The heartbeat tends to slow down, or miss a beat, occasionally.
I don't know any more than that, except to say that I was diagnosed as having atrial fibrillation.

[bookbinder]

By the way, my atrial fibrillation was diagnosed by an ECG (electrocardiogram), so perhaps SVT can be diagnosed in the same way.

[Vagus]

Thank you bookbinder.
Do you have regular episodes of it? And are you on blood thinners?

[bookbinder]

Regular episodes? I don't notice anything at all, Vagus. If the ECG hadn't shown it, I wouldn't have known anything about it.
As regards blood thinners, well, I was offered Warfarin or NOACS, but I declined them. My reasons for doing that might be a bit long-winded, but if you really want to know why, I'll tell you. I don't take any kind of thinners or tablets or anything for my atrial fibrillation.

[campbellking]

ECGs will be used to diagnose SVT and AF. AF can also often present with an elevated heart rate and we often see patients with this in intensive care (fast AF). Patients are often recommended to go onto anti-coagulants with AF due to the risk of throwing off clots and potential strokes. I used to have episodes of SVT which would got more and more prolonged and so opted for a cardiac ablation which worked

[Sqad]

In a nutshell.
The difference between SVT and AF can be diagnosed on an ECG.
SVT,sare o ideal and not life threatening.?...usually.
AF is always secondary to some other disorder,heart pro lems,valve problems or highblood pressure.
Blood thinners are essential in AF, but not indicated or essential in SVT.

I did say "in a nutshell."

[Vagus]

Bookbinder, I’d be very interested in your long winded explanation if you’d care to elaborate :)
Thank you campbellking and Sqad for your interesting and knowledgeable input.

[Apc2604]

SVT
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/supraventricular-tachycardia-svt/

AFIB
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/atrial-fibrillation/

I have AFIB episodes of very high heart rate.

Slow heartbeat is called bradycardia.

https://patient.info/heart-health/palpitations-leaflet/bradycardia


I

[Apc2604]

I really don't understand why bookbinder has AFIB if he has a slow heart rate.

I do take bloodthinners and Betablockers to help prevent strokes. AFib is quite common in over 65 s. My AF is also related to anxiety, but comes on out of the blue. I can now control it to quite a great extent with breathing and vagus nerve exercise.

[Apc2604]

Heart scans, blood tests etc showed no damage to my heart.

[Apc2604]

I'm not saying Bookbinder doesn't have AFib, just that I found it unusual. He has been diagnosed. I have been told that in my case Afib and anxiety are difficult to separate.

[Vagus]

Thanks apc, that’s really interesting and helpful.
A friend of mine was contacted by a community pharmacist who has been reviewing all local patients in various gp surgeries who have had episodes of AF, my friend being one of them. He has only had one episode, 12 years ago, which required an overnight stay in hospital after being given a drug to slow the heart down.
At the pharmacists suggestion he has started taking apixaban, which in itself has been causing some problems. He is wondering if it’s actually necessary for him to continue taking this drug, given he’s only ever had one episode of AF, and we’ve been having a chat about it.
He has a telephone consultation with his gp tomorrow but in the meantime I thought I’d ask on AB.

[Peter Pedant]

am I right in thinking this isnt about you
but mrs mopp - wonderful lady - darn the road?

anyway - more than you ever want to know about it

https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2015/10/08/09/19/the-2015-accahahrs-guideline-for-the-management-of-adult-patients-with-supraventricular-tachycardia

she probably has time to get thro it before the consult

[bookbinder]

Hello, Vagus. Sorry about the long delay, but teatime, etc. got in the way. I declined Warfarin because of the risk of internal bleeding, and also because I used to work with a guy who was taking Warfarin. Every few weeks, he had to leave work and go to a local hospital to have a checkup. The staff there checked his dosage, and how it affected his blood. I didn't want that kind of life; I just wanted to live quietly and not be bothered with hospital checks. There was the risk of internal bleeding, as well.
I turned down NOACs also because of the risk of internal bleeding. I felt that, every time I swallowed a tablet, I would be giving myself a death sentence. I would have been waiting for the pain to begin.
I decided to let nature take its course. I'll turn my toes up when nature, fate, or whatever decides, without me helping things along by taking a tablet. That was about 4 years ago, and I'm still here. Would I still be here if I'd taken one of those tablets? Maybe yes, maybe no.

[Sqad]

Vagus,I am not a Cardiologist and am assuming that solitary attack of AF was indeed anxiety related,
12years ago he should have been given a Beta blocker,which I am certain was prescribed, blood thinners were ot appropriate as they are retained ot at the moment and noneshould ot e taking appearance.

[Sqad]

sorry about my typing,my eyes tend not to focus at the end of the day.
Your friend should NOT be taking blood thinners

[bookbinder]

One last thing: I have never experienced a feeling of anxiety, which might be connected with my atrial fibrillation. Since I was diagnosed, I have lived a normal life (as I did before) and the af has never shown itself.

[Vagus]

Thanks bookbinder for your additional post and your reasons for not taking the drug.
You too Sqad for your opinion. My feeling is that he probably will stop taking the blood thinner as he really didn’t seem happy about it. I don’t know about beta blockers, they weren’t mentioned.
It’ll probably be next week before I speak to my friend again so won’t know how he gets on with gp today but thank you all for your very helpful posts, I’ll be sure to tell him about them.

[Sqad]

Thank you for your feedback Vagus much appreciated.

[Apc2604]

I must admit, I dont like taking blood thinners, but was told there is a danger in stopping them. I take apixaban and was invited to have a blood test to check all was ok just when covid was spiking, but decided not to go. Now it has virtually disappeared from our area I will make an appointment to discuss things again. I control my anxiety attacks now quite successfully. I often wonder if atrial fibrillation was a correct diagnosis.