Overview

Atrial tachycardia is an abnormally fast heartbeat. It's the least common type of supraventricular tachycardia.

During an atrial tachycardia episode, the heart rate increases to more than 100 beats per minute before returning to a normal heart rate of around 60 to 80 beats per minute. An episode may start slowly or abruptly. Atrial tachycardia can cause light-headedness, dizziness and sometimes, fainting.

Atrial tachycardia is most commonly seen in children who have heart disorders such as congenital heart disease, particularly those who've had heart surgery. However, infection or drug or alcohol use can trigger the condition. For some people, atrial tachycardia increases during pregnancy or exercise.