Evaluation and treatment of narrow complex tachycardias

Narrow complex supraventricular tachycardia can occur transiently related to an acute illness or recur intermittently on a chronic basis. These disturbances are frequently treated in the emergency room or in the intensive care unit. Clinical electrophysiology testing has resulted in a better understanding of the different types of supraventricular tachycardias. The acronym PAT and junctional tachycardia were previously used to describe a narrow complex tachycardia that had an abrupt onset and abrupt termination. These arrhythmias, now termed paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias (PSVT) are known to arise by different electrophysiologic mechanisms. Terms such as PAT and junctional tachycardia should be discarded for more precise terminology when possible. The term PSVT is used to describe a general category of supraventricular tachycardias.