Management of Paediatric SVT
GGC Paediatric Guidelines
Warning
The aim of this guideline is to provide consistent guidance on the assessment and management of paediatric supra-ventricular tachycardia (SVT).
The most common cause of paediatric tachyarrhythmia is a supra-ventricular tachycardia (SVT). These are common in infancy and childhood with an incidence of between 1:250 and 1:1000. Most cases are due to re-entrant pathways and occur in otherwise normal children. They can be very well tolerated for several hours meaning some children may not present until haemodynamic compromise is evident. They can also present in patients with underlying congenital cardiac conditions, cardiac conduction disorders or cardiac failure which may be secondary to the tachyarrhythmia.