You can have treatment to either stop episodes when they occur, or prevent them occurring in the future. See treating supraventricular tachycardia SVT for more information about all the treatments mentioned here. Page last reviewed: 13 August Next review due: 13 August Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Is it serious? Symptoms of WPW syndrome If you have WPW syndrome, you may experience episodes where your heart suddenly starts racing, before stopping or slowing down abruptly. During an episode, you may experience symptoms such as: a pounding or fluttering heartbeat heart palpitations feeling light-headed or dizzy shortness of breath chest pain sweating feeling anxious finding physical activity exhausting passing out fainting These episodes can last for seconds, minutes or hours.
When to seek medical advice See a GP if you keep getting a fast heartbeat. Dial for an ambulance if: your heartbeat doesn't go back to normal in a few minutes you have chest pain that lasts more than 15 minutes — you may also have pain in your arms, back or jaw you have chest pain and other symptoms like feeling sick, being sick vomiting , shortness of breath or sweating someone passes out faints and doesn't regain consciousness If you've been diagnosed with WPW syndrome and you experience an episode, first try the techniques you've been taught or take any medication you've been given.
What causes WPW syndrome? Diagnosing WPW syndrome If your doctor thinks you might have WPW syndrome after assessing your symptoms, they'll probably recommend having an electrocardiogram ECG and will refer you to a cardiologist heart specialist.
Treatments for WPW syndrome In many cases, episodes of abnormal heart activity associated with WPW syndrome are harmless, don't last long, and settle down on their own without treatment. Stopping an episode There are 3 main techniques and treatments that can help stop episodes as they occur. These are: Vagal manoeuvres — techniques designed to stimulate the nerve that slows down the electrical signals in your heart.
An example is the "Valsalva manoeuvre", where you hold your nose, close your mouth and exhale hard while straining as if you're on the toilet. Medication — an injection of medicine such as adenosine can be given in hospital if vagal manoeuvres don't help. It can block the abnormal electrical signals in your heart. Cardioversion — a type of electric shock therapy that jolts the heart back into a normal rhythm. This may be carried out in hospital if the above treatments don't work.
Preventing further episodes Techniques and treatments that can help prevent episodes include: Lifestyle changes — if your episodes are triggered by things such as strenuous exercise or alcohol, avoiding these may help. In: Kliegman RM, St. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Approach to the patient with cardiac arrhythmias. Zimetbaum P. Supraventricular cardiac arrhythmias. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Updated by: Michael A. Editorial team. A person with this syndrome may have: Chest pain or chest tightness Dizziness Lightheadedness Fainting Palpitations a sensation of feeling your heart beating, usually quickly or irregularly Shortness of breath.
Exams and Tests. Outlook Prognosis. Possible Complications. Complications may include: Complications of surgery Heart failure Reduced blood pressure caused by rapid heart rate Side effects of medicines The most severe form of a rapid heartbeat is ventricular fibrillation VF , which may rapidly lead to shock or death.
When to Contact a Medical Professional. Call your health care provider if: You have symptoms of WPW syndrome. You have this disorder and symptoms get worse or do not improve with treatment. Alternative Names. This extra pathway makes fast abnormal heart rhythms arrhythmias more likely to occur.
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is present at birth, but the arrhythmias it causes usually become apparent during the teens or early twenties. However, arrhythmias may occur during the first year of life or not until after age Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a common cause of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia SVT, PSVT Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia is a regular, fast to beats per minute heart rate that begins and ends suddenly and originates in heart tissue other than that in the ventricles Very rarely, this syndrome results in a very fast, life-threatening heart rate during atrial fibrillation Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are very fast electrical discharge patterns that make the atria upper chambers of the heart contract very rapidly, with some of the electrical impulses When infants develop arrhythmias due to this syndrome, they may become short of breath or lethargic, stop eating well, or have rapid, visible pulsations of the chest.
Heart failure may develop. Typically, when teenagers or people in their early 20s first experience an arrhythmia due to this syndrome, it is an episode of palpitations Palpitations Palpitations are the awareness of heartbeats. The sensation may feel like pounding, fluttering, racing, or skipping beats. Other symptoms—for example, chest discomfort or shortness of breath—may The episode may last for only a few seconds or may persist for several hours.
For most people, the very fast heart rate is uncomfortable and distressing. A few people faint. In older people, episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia due to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome tend to cause more symptoms, such as fainting, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
Atrial fibrillation may be particularly dangerous for people with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. The extra pathway can conduct the rapid impulses to the ventricles at a much faster rate than the normal pathway through the atrioventricular node can. The result is an extremely fast ventricular rate that may be life threatening.
Not only is the heart very inefficient when it beats so rapidly, but this extremely fast heart rate may also progress to ventricular fibrillation Ventricular Fibrillation Ventricular fibrillation is a potentially fatal, uncoordinated series of very rapid, ineffective contractions of the ventricles lower chambers of the heart caused by many chaotic electrical This record, the electrocardiogram also known as an ECG Episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia SVT, PSVT Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia is a regular, fast to beats per minute heart rate that begins and ends suddenly and originates in heart tissue other than that in the ventricles
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