Health Services
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*Please contact the district nurse with any questions
What School Personnel Should Know About the Student With SVT
Supraventricular Tachycardia:
Tachycardia is a fast heart rate. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is one type of
tachycardia. The heartbeat is the squeezing and relaxing of the muscle walls at the right
times in the right order. In SVT, the squeezing and relaxing doesn’t occur at the right
time or in the right order which causes an abnormally rapid heartbeat. How often these
episodes occur and how long they last are different from one person to another.
Supraventricular Tachycardia in Children:
SVT is the most common heart rhythm problem in children. It occurs in as many as one
in 250 otherwise healthy children. Sometimes SVT goes away on its own early in life. If
SVT is active after the first year of life, the chance that it will go away on its own is low.
Brief episodes are generally well tolerated, meaning they don’t bother the person much.
But if the fast heartbeat continues too long, the heart can become fatigued, which can
be dangerous.
Symptoms include:
 Racing or pounding heart
 Lightheaded or dizzy
Emergency symptoms include:
 Decreased level of consciousness
 Shortness of breath
 Chest pain
 Bluish color to the lips/face
Prevention/Preparedness:
Often a fast heartbeat does not cause any problems. But sometimes it keeps the heart
from pumping the right amount of blood to the brain or other organs. This can be
dangerous. Symptoms of SVT can also interfere with athletic activity and even everyday
activities. If a student has been diagnosed with SVT they will have a health care plan
written up by the district nurse after consulting with parents and the physician. If a
student is complaining of a rapid heart rate, dizziness or if they know they are having an
episode, please allow student to go to the health room. Students who are complaining
of any SVT symptoms should never be sent anywhere alone. Once in the health room,
student health care plans will be followed. If a student experiences any emergency
symptoms, 911 will be called immediately.
HS/KM 7/2012