Sinus Tachycardia on your ECG; Top 10 things you should know

Sinus Tachycardia on your ECG: Top 10 things you should know?

So your doctor has told you that you have sinus tachycardia. After ECG interpretation services, this is often visible when each QRS complex is led by a regular upright P wave. In simple terms, it means you have an overly fast heartbeat. Normally, the human heart has a typical sinus rhythm in the range of 60-100 bpm. When it exceeds this, then it may mean that you possibly have sinus tachycardia. If you are here today to dig up more information on what it means, available treatment options, perhaps a second opinion, or the way forward, this article is for you. Here are ten crucial things to know if you have Sinus Tachycardia:

A false positive may be the case

False positive readings happen all the time. While we’re not saying that your physician could be wrong, we’re stating that it’s important to consider the possibility of a second or even third opinion.

Studies today indicate the median accuracy of ECG results to be 54%. That means there’s half a chance that your ECG reading may not be spot on. If you require the aid of an ECG rhythm monitoring service to clear any doubts, Techindia is here for you. Reach out to us today.

You may have inappropriate sinus tachycardia

Often, the triggers of sinus tachycardia can be ultimately uncovered by a physician. Other times, it’s not always a straight-line affair. When there lacks any primary tachycardia triggers and therefore no evident causes, then you may have inappropriate sinus tachycardia or IST for short.

It must be said however that IST is not that commonplace. Research by NCBI establishes its prevalence rate at 4.98% among symptomatic patients.

You can still exercise safely with guidance

Can I exercise with tachycardia? We receive tons of questions to this effect, and the short answer is yes. The long answer is you need to get the green from your physicians first. Even so, you should immediately stop if you notice any of the following symptoms>

• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath 
• Chest pains

Contact your doctor if these symptoms persist after rest. 

Sinus tachycardia is not life-threatening

Don’t let the serious name intimidate you. You can still live the long, healthy, happy, and fulfilling life you deserve even if you have sinus tachycardia. The condition isn’t life-threatening most of the time. 

Truth be told, you may be predisposed to a greater risk of stroke or heart attack, but with the right care, technology and support, your physician can pick out the early warning signs once it gets to that point. So should I worry about sinus tachycardia? No. However, you’ll need to take care of your body better and keep an open line of communication with your doctor.

You may feel “fine” and still have it

Your physician has stated in no unclear times. However, your body says otherwise. You feel as though everything is fine and you’re not even a little bit under the weather. 

Well, sinus tachycardia can occur in one of two ways: 

• Symptomatically- with clear and visible symptoms like fever, high blood pressure, and more
• Asymptomatically- without any symptoms to show for the condition

It is for this reason that we often recommend regular cardiac rhythm interpretation services as opposed to waiting for something bad to happen.

Medical treatment may not be required

Is your sinus tachycardia a one-off incidence or a regular occurrence? Well, your doctor may recommend putting you on a 24/7 ECG rhythm monitoring service to find out. If the latter is the case i.e., it’s an isolated occurrence with a clear trigger that can be eliminated, then chances are high that medical intervention may not be necessary. 

Sometimes though, your sinus tachycardia may be the symptom of an underlying illness or condition that requires correction. It’s best to get in touch with your physicians to discuss any concerns you may have further. 

It could be all in your mind

Did you know that your sinus tachycardia could be all in your head? That’s right. When emotions get the better of us, then sinus tachycardia may be the flight or fight reaction instigated by our body. It may be triggered by: 

• Pain 
• Fever Anxiety 
• Stress and many more

So try to relax, offer and enjoy hobbies that take you to your happy place.

Your sinus node is to blame

Tachycardia refers to overly fast heart beats. Sinus tachycardia is aptly named after the part of your heart responsible for the increase in pace. Typically, the sinus node is responsible for the regularity and steadiness of your heartbeat. 

Sometimes a dysfunction can occur where it dishes out electrical impulses faster than usual. Your heart responds by elevating its heartbeat. In the opposing scenario where electrical impulses and thereby heartbeat are slower than normal, the condition is called sinus bradycardia. 

Water can calm sinus tachycardia

Living with sinus tachycardia just takes a little bit of effort to keep your body on the right track. In fact, treatment may involve a few tweaks to your lifestyle as recommended by your physician. Most people are often advised to: 

• Drinking enough water
• Exercise consistent
• Watch their sodium intake
• Lower caffeine consumption
• Do away with the nicotine.

You may not need surgery 

Lifestyle changes and medication are usually the first options that your doctor could explore. In terms of medication, you may be pointed towards the way of ivabradine, calcium channel blockers, or beta blockers, among others. 

Going under the knife is usually a last resort when all the above fails. The particular surgery your physician may recommend is catheter ablation. This involves heat-based treatment of the problematic section of the heart tissue. As with every medical procedure, there are some pros and cons that you should best discuss with your caregiver. 

Let’s discuss your sinus tachycardia further

Finding out that you have sinus tachycardia can be a scary moment, but you shouldn’t worry. Many such cases often don’t end up in fatality provided the patient receives the timely treatment needed. Get in touch with Techindia today if you’d like to learn more about your condition, what’s causing it, and the best treatment path for you. You can always consult us for a second opinion from an experienced team with over 21 million hours of ECG reporting under its belt. Check out our blog for more details on living with an arrhythmia.