PSVT
Medical abbreviation · Cardiology
| Stands for | Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
PSVT stands for Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, a cardiology abbreviation.
Episodes of regular, rapid heartbeat that start and stop abruptly, arising from a reentrant circuit involving the AV node or an accessory pathway. Patients often describe a racing heart that switches on and off suddenly, sometimes with neck pounding, lightheadedness or an urge to urinate afterward.
Example: Holter captured three episodes of PSVT lasting 2 to 6 minutes, each starting and ending abruptly.
Usage notes
"Paroxysmal" signals the sudden on-off pattern that separates it from sinus tachycardia, which speeds up and slows down gradually. Neck pounding, the "frog sign," is characteristic of AVNRT, when the atria contract against closed valves. Treatment ranges from vagal maneuvers and adenosine to ablation, which cures more than 95 percent of typical AVNRT. Many clinicians use PSVT and SVT interchangeably.
Related abbreviations
More cardiology abbreviations
- PFO – Patent foramen ovale
- PMI – Point of maximal impulse
- POBA – Plain old balloon angioplasty
- POTS – Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
- PPM – Permanent pacemaker
- PS – Pulmonic stenosis
- PTA – Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
- PTCA – Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
- PTS – Post-thrombotic syndrome
- PVC – Premature ventricular contraction
- PVD – Peripheral vascular disease
- PVI – Pulmonary vein isolation
See all 229 cardiology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.