AV Nodal Re-entrant Tachycardia

AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia is an arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm. This arrhythmia is seen on an EKG as periods of fast heart rates. The fast heart rates occur because of an abnormality in the electrical conduction system of the heart. The electrical system is responsible for telling the heart muscle to contract and relax.

Normally, each heart beat begins in the SA node. The SA node is a group of cells located in the upper right chamber of the heart. An electrical impulse travels from the SA node and across both upper chambers, and then travels to the AV node. The AV node is another group of cells which is located between the upper and lower chambers of the heart. The impulse passes through the AV node and down to the lower chambers, causing them to contract. Each contraction of the lower chambers produces a heart beat.

The AV node normally has one group of cells through which the electrical impulse can travel. However, in AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia, the AV node has two or more groups of conductive cells. Because of the extra conduction pathways, your heart can at times beat more quickly than normal. An abnormal fast heart rate can cause symptoms of light headedness, palpitations, chest pain, or loss of consciousness.

Treatment
Your physician will try to control your periods of rapid heart rates with medications. AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia generally responds well to medications. Your physician may also suggest an electrophysiology study/catheter ablation to cure this arrhythmia. Please refer to these sections for further information on these procedures.