Son 11, racing heart - SVT or something else?

Heart health and blood vessels
1

Hello,

My son is 11 years old, has virus-induced asthma but otherwise healthy. 

For the last few years he has been experiencing heart-racing episodes (pulse goes up to 200), they last a couple of hours, then his heart 'jolts' back to normal. He only gets these episodes approximately twice a year.

He has seen a cardiologist who said his heart scan was fine and 24hr ECG was fine also. He told us to come back to hospital when having an episode and they will try to catch it on ECG (easier said than done!).

Son had an episode on Friday (stopped before we had chance to go to hospital). But over the weekend he has said his heart hurts a bit. I don't know if this is his asthma or because of the episode?? Does your heart hurt after?

Does this sound like SVT or something else? I should also say when he was little, about age 2-4, he used to get very blue lips when cold. If there was something wrong with his heart it would have shown up on the scan, wouldn't it? Should I get a second opinion?

Any help you can give will be much appreciated.

 

2

It was only when my son had the loop recorder fitted that they picked up the svt, the 24 hour monitor didnt detect anything. I'm quite new to this svt so i can't give you much advice other than as with my son we kept going back to the doctor. His episodes were few and far between but something more was done when after his racing heart he did pass out (this happened when he was quite stressed at the time). Having the loop recorder they have managed to catch the svt. I'm not sure about pain afterwards but i do know my son feels quite exhausted afterwards. I personally woukd recommend a second opinion due to the racing heart symptom

3

I have never had severe pain during an episode, more of a discomfort and when the heart rate is really high, some light-headedness and overall weakness.  Certainly would be helpful to get a second opinion.  Is he a heavy caffiene drinker?  Colas, Chocolate, etc?  If so, see if his episodes correlate with caffiene intake or stay off the caffiene entirely to see if the episodes continue -  although other foods can trigger it.  Also, try to associate the episodes with movement of some kind. For me, it's bending over or reaching high.

It just may help to keep track of what happened that could have triggered it, to assist the doctors' diagnosis.

4

Thanks for your reply. Was his loop recorder one of those inplanted ones? 

5

Thanks for your reply. No he doesn't have colas or much chocolate. I would say though that he seems to have an episode when he is coming down with a cold - is this a common trigger? I've not noticed the movement thing so will keep a check on that. 

6

I don't know if a cold affects it or not.  I've not had a cold since I was diagnosed with SVT.

 

7

Yes it was and it records the heart in detail and the cardiologist has a clear view on what is happening.