Abstract:
Background. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most common arrhythmia
diagnosed in young people. The prevalence of SVT in young adults is about 2,29/1000
people, with a higher incidence in women vs men. Studying the etiology of SVT is essential
for optimizing diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment.
Objective(s). Studying data from the scientific medical literature regarding the etiological
and predisposing factors involved in the pathophysiology of supraventricular tachycardia in
young people.
Materials and methods. A systematic review of the National Library of Medicine and the
International Institutes of Health MEDLINE was performed, using the authentic databases
UpToDate, Embase, and PubMed, to search for works focused on etiopathogenetic aspects of
supraventricular tachycardia in young people. 32 bibliographic sources were analyzed.
Results.SVT is the result of reentry circuits, abnormal automatism or trigger-driven activity.
Factors contributing to SVT in young people include: congenital heart defects (WolffParkinson-White Syndrome, Ebstein's anomaly, atrial septal defects, valvulopathies, which
create abnormal electrical pathways), electrolyte imbalances, genetic predisposition, female
gender, stress, anxiety, alcohol, caffeine, medications, smoking, physical exertion, thyroid
pathologies, cardiac (coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular diseases,
cardiomyopathy, heart surgery), pulmonary pathologies, DM, pregnancy, dehydration,
recreational drugs.
Conclusion(s). SVT in young people is characterized by a wide spectrum of etiological and
risk factors, which requires a multidisciplinary medical approach, including education,
counseling, promotion of a healthy lifestyle, in order to increase the quality of life and
decrease the risk of complications.
