Your browser is out of date
With an updated browser, you will have a better Medtronic website experience. Update my browser now.
Tachycardia is a fast heart rate — more than 100 beats per minute — that can either start in the heart's lower chambers (ventricles) or upper chambers (atria). At these elevated rates, the heart is not able to efficiently pump oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body.
Tachycardia can occur for several reasons. Common causes of Tachycardia include:
When your heart beats too fast you may experience various symptoms. These symptoms include:
Certain conditions can increase your risk of developing an abnormally fast heartbeat (tachycardia), including:
Tachycardia can be ventricular (in the lower chambers of the heart) or atrial (in the upper chambers of the heart), and the treatment strategy may vary depending on what type of tachycardia one may have. Your heart doctor will determine the treatment that's best for your condition, and may also discuss lifestyle changes with you.
The types of treatment range from medication to surgery. For thousands of people each year, an implantable defibrillator monitors the heart and delivers life-saving therapies to treat dangerously fast and slow heart rhythms. Other treatment options include:
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.