How is AVNRT treated?

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How is AVNRT treated?

Many people with AVNRT don’t need treatment. But your healthcare team may recommend treatment if you:

  • Are at risk for serious complications.
  • Experience symptoms that interfere with your daily life, such as fainting.
  • Have frequent or prolonged episodes of AVNRT.

Several treatment strategies are available:

  • Vagal maneuvers: You may be able to stop an episode of AVNRT with simple strategies at home. Examples include coughing, holding your breath or dipping your face in cold water.
  • Electrical cardioversion: Cardioversion delivers an electrical shock to the heart via paddles or patches on your chest. The procedure can restore a normal heart rhythm.
  • Medications: Several medications can regulate heart rate and rhythm. Examples include adenosine injection, antiarrhythmic drugs, calcium channel blockers and beta-blockers.
  • Catheter ablation: Catheter ablation creates scar tissue in heart muscle, which can block faulty electrical signals and cure certain types of arrhythmia, such as AVNRT.

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