Frequency of Disabling Symptoms in Supraventricular Tachycardia

Objective: To assess the frequency and severity of disabling symptoms in patients diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) at the Department of Cardiology, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, between June 2023 and June 2024. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 150 SVT patients. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire assessing the frequency and severity of symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue, chest pain, dyspnea, dizziness, and syncope. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, with a p-value of <0.05 considered significant. Patients' symptom frequency and severity were analyzed and correlated with the frequency of SVT episodes. Results: The most common disabling symptoms were palpitations (85%) and fatigue (70%), followed by chest pain (60%) and dizziness (50%). Palpitations and fatigue were significantly associated with more frequent SVT episodes (p=0.01 and p=0.03, respectively). Symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, dyspnea, and syncope did not show significant correlations with episode frequency. Palpitations had the highest mean severity (4.5 on a Likert scale), followed by fatigue (4.0). Conclusion: This study highlights the burden of disabling symptoms, particularly palpitations and fatigue, among SVT patients. There is a significant correlation between episode frequency and symptom severity, underscoring the need for early and targeted management to improve quality of life.