When your heart suddenly races for no obvious reason—like you just ran a mile when you were sitting still—you might be dealing with supraventricular tachycardia, a type of abnormal heart rhythm that starts in the upper chambers of the heart. Also known as SVT, it’s not usually life-threatening, but it can make you feel like your heart is going to jump out of your chest.
What causes it? Often, it’s a misfire in the heart’s electrical system. One signal gets stuck in a loop, making the heart beat too fast—sometimes over 150 beats per minute. Triggers include stress, caffeine, alcohol, dehydration, or even just standing up too fast. For some people, it happens once and never returns. For others, it shows up regularly, making daily life unpredictable. That’s where treatments like Calan, a brand name for the calcium channel blocker verapamil come in. Verapamil, a medication used to slow down fast heart rhythms by blocking calcium from entering heart cells, is one of the most common first-line drugs for SVT. It doesn’t cure the problem, but it helps stop episodes and keeps the rhythm stable.
People with SVT often need more than just a pill. Lifestyle changes matter—cutting back on energy drinks, managing anxiety, staying hydrated. Some use the Valsalva maneuver (holding your breath and bearing down) to reset their heartbeat. Others need ablation procedures. But for many, the real challenge is knowing what to do when an episode hits, and which meds actually work without side effects. That’s why you’ll find detailed comparisons here—like how Calan stacks up against other heart rhythm drugs, what alternatives exist, and how to tell if your treatment is working. You won’t find fluff. Just clear, practical info on what helps, what doesn’t, and what to ask your doctor next.
A clear, up‑to‑date guide on supraventricular tachycardia for patients, covering symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options and day‑to‑day management.
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