Treatment

Treatment of atrial tachycardia depends on the severity of your condition and the things that trigger it. Your doctor may recommend:

• Vagal maneuvers. You may be able to temporarily slow your heart rate by holding your breath and straining, dunking your face in ice water, or coughing.
• Medications. Your doctor may suggest medication by mouth or IV to control your heart rate or restore a normal heart rhythm.
• Cardioversion. In this procedure, a shock is delivered to your heart through paddles or patches on your chest. The current affects the electrical signals in your heart and can restore a normal heart rate. Your doctor may recommend cardioversion if your arrhythmia doesn't get better with vagal maneuvers or medication.
• Catheter ablation. For this procedure, your doctor threads one or more catheters through your blood vessels to your heart. Sensors at the tips of the catheters use heat (radiofrequency) or extreme cold to damage (ablate) a small spot of heart tissue to block faulty signals that are causing your arrhythmia.
• Pacemaker. If you have frequent episodes of atrial tachycardia and other treatments haven't work, your doctor may suggest implanting a small device called a pacemaker. A pacemaker gives off electrical signals that stimulate your heart to beat at a normal rate. For people with atrial tachycardia, this procedure is typically done with ablation of the AV node.