From the Guidelines
No, Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) does not typically lead to Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT), but rather the relationship between the two conditions can be more complex.
Key Points
- The guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation suggest that other types of supraventricular tachycardia may degenerate into AF, but not the other way around 1.
- SVT can be an initiating event for AF, and eliminating the initiating arrhythmia may abolish AF 1.
- Specific cardiovascular conditions associated with AF include valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, and hypertension, as well as sinus node disease, ventricular pre-excitation, and supraventricular tachycardias 1.
- The relationship between AF and SVT is complex, and while AF may be associated with SVT, it is not typically a direct cause of SVT.
- Treatment of underlying conditions, such as SVT, may be necessary to manage AF effectively 1. Some key arrhythmias that can cause AF include:
- AV node reentry
- AV reentry These arrhythmias can often be cured by radiofrequency catheter ablation, which may also abolish AF 1.
From the Research
Relationship Between Atrial Fibrillation and Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) and Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) are both types of arrhythmias, but they have distinct characteristics and triggers.
- According to 2, SVT may trigger AFib, and ablation of SVT can prevent AFib recurrences in some patients.
- The study found that 10.1% of patients referred for AFib ablation had inducible SVT, and ablation of SVT was successful in all cases.
Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Research suggests that there is a significant incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) 3, 4.
- A study found that 19% of patients with PSVT developed atrial fibrillation during a mean follow-up period of 31 months 4.
- Another study reported that 18% of patients with atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) developed atrial fibrillation 3.
Mechanisms and Triggers
- The mechanism of SVT can be due to altered automaticity, triggered activity, or reentry 5.
- Atrial fibrillation can occur in patients with AVNRT, and its incidence is higher than expected for the general population 3.
- The occurrence of atrial fibrillation is not related to the mechanism or heart rate of the paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia 4.
Diagnosis and Management
- Supraventricular tachycardia can be diagnosed using electrocardiography, and the underlying mechanism can often be deduced from the ECG during tachycardia 6.
- Management of SVT includes vagal maneuvers, adenosine, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers, and catheter ablation is curative in the majority of patients 6.