FOR APPs & PRIMARY CARE CLINICIANS
Supraventricular tachycardia — Quick reference
First steps, urgent findings, referral guidance, and handoff essentials.
First steps
Capture a 12-lead EKG if safe. Assess onset/offset, regularity, QRS width, symptoms, and the acute episode plan.
Recognize the urgent patient
Instability or uncertain wide-complex tachycardia warrants acute evaluation. An irregular pre-excited rhythm requires specialist emergency management.
When to refer
Refer symptomatic/recurrent SVT to EP for mechanism assessment and ablation discussion.
What to send with the referral
Episode EKGs/strips; duration/frequency; symptom burden; resting EKG; medications and previous treatments.
Avoid this pitfall
Ablation outcomes depend on the mechanism and location. SVT itself does not create an AF-style routine anticoagulation indication.
Reviewed October 11, 2026. This quick reference summarizes the linked guide; use the full guide for context and clinical references.