Purpose: To describe the impact of episodes of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) on a person’s daily life from a holistic perspective. Method: A deductive descriptive design was used. Twenty semistructured interviews (12 women and 8 men) were conducted before planned ablation of SVT and were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Living with SVT had a complex impact on daily life. Initially, the patients described an inhibited existence due to demands to give up things that they had previously been doing, in case the unpredictable episodes of SVT would occur. The episodes caused fatigue and worry, which together created a barrier for living life to the full by making the person give up undertakings. The patients constantly needed to find short-term and long-term strategies to prevent new episodes from happening. Conclusion: Episodes of SVT entail a complex life situation as the person’s entire existence is affected in daily life. To understand the impact of SVT on daily life, nurses and other health care professionals need increased knowledge and understanding to be able to provide support through relevant information and take optimal care measures.
BadhwarN.KusumotoF.GoldschlagerN. (2012). Arrhythmias in the coronary care unit. Journal of Intensive Care Medicine, 27, 267-289. doi:10.1177/0885066611402165
2.
Blomström-LundquistC.ScheinmannM.AliotE.AlpertJ.CalkinsH.CammA.. . . TomaselliG. (2003). ACC/AHA/ESC guideline for management of patients with supraventricular arrhythmias executive summary: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation, 108, 1871-1909. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000091380.04100.84
DaltegT.BenzeinE.SandgrenA.FridlundB.MalmD. (2014). Managing uncertainty in couples living with atrial fibrillation. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 29, E1-E10. doi:10.1097/JCN.0b013e3182a180da
5.
EkbladH.RönningH.FridlundB.MalmD. (2012). Patients’ well-being: Experience and actions in their preventing and handling of atrial fibrillation. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 2, 132-139. doi:10.1177/147451512457132
6.
EstnerH.NdrepepaG.DongJ.DeisenhoferI.SchreieckJ.SchneiderM.. . . SchmittC. (2005). Acute and long-term results of slow pathway ablation in patients with atrioventricular nodal supraventricular tachycardia—An analysis of the predictive factors for arrhythmia recurrence. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 28, 102-110.
7.
FlemmeI.HallbergU.JohanssonI.StrömbergA. (2011). Uncertainty is a major concern for patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Heart & Lung, 40, 420-428. doi:10.1016/j.hrtlng.2011.02.003
8.
GraneheimU.LundmanB. (2004). Qualitative content analysis in nursing research concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Education Today, 24, 105-112. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2003.10.001
9.
HarknessK.SpalingM.CurrieK.StrachanP.ClarkA. (2015). A systematic review of patient heart failure self-care strategies. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 30, 121-135. doi:10.1097/JCN.0000000000000118
LaneD.AguianagaL.Blomström-LundquistC.BorianiG.DanG.-A.HillsM.. . . PotparaT. (2015). Cardiac tachyarrhytmias and patient values and preferences for their management: The European Heart Association (EHRA), Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Estimulacion Cardiacy y Electrofisiologia (SOLEACE). Europace, 17, 1747-1769. doi:10.1093/europace/euv233
12.
LeitchJ.BarlowM. (2012). Radiofrequency ablation for pre-excitation syndromes and AV-nodal re-entrant tachycardia. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 21, 376-385. doi:10.1016/j.hlc.2012.03.016
13.
McCabeP.SchumacherK.BarnasonS. (2011). Living with atrial fibrillation. A qualitative study. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 26, 336-344. doi:10.1097/JCN.0b013e31820019b9
14.
MeissnerA.StifoudiI.WeismüllerP.SchrageM.-O.MaaghP.ChristM.. . . PlehnG. (2009). Sustained high quality of life in a 5-year long follow-up after successful ablation for supra-ventricular tachycardia. Results from a large retrospective patient cohort. International Journal of Medical Sciences, 6, 28-36.
15.
NorbergE.-B.BomanK.LöfgrenB. (2010). Impact of fatigue on everyday life among older people with chronic heart failure. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 57, 34-41. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1630.2009.00847.x
16.
OrejarenaL.VidailletH.DestefanoF.NordstromD.VierkantR.SmithP. (1998). Paroxysmal supraventricular in the general population. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 31, 150-157. doi:10.1016/S0735-1097(97)00422-1
17.
RoysterC.MelanderS. (2013). Radiofrequency ablation for common supraventricular tachycardias other than atrial fibrillation. Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 9, 368-373. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.201.04.014
18.
SarvimäkiA.Stenbock-HultB. (1996). Caring: An introduction to health care from a humanistic perspective. Stockholm, Sweden: Liber.
SmithG.MorgansA.TaylorD.CameronP. (2012). Use of the human dive reflex for the management of supraventricular tachycardia: A review of the literature. Emergency Medicine Journal, 29, 611-616. doi:10.1136/emermed-2011-200877
22.
Statistics Sweden. (2012). Population by time, municipalities and sex. Skaraborg, Sweden: Statistics Database Sweden. Retrieved from http://www.scb.se/en/
23.
WalfridssonU.StrömbergA.JanzonM.WalfridssonH. (2009). Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia in a Swedish population: Consequences on health-related quality of life. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 32, 1299-1306. doi:10.1111/j.1540-8159.2009.02476.x
24.
WalfridssonU.WalfridssonH. (2005). The impact of supraventricular tachycardia on driving ability in patients referred for radiofrequency catheter ablation. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 28, 191-195.
25.
WoodK.StewartA.DrewB.ScheinmanM.FroëlicherE. (2010). Changes in patient perceptions and quality of life following ablation in patients with supraventricular tachycardia. Heart and Lung, 39, 12-20. doi:10.1016/j.hrtlng.2009.04.001
26.
WoodK.WienerC.Kayser-JonesJ. (2007). Supraventricular tachycardia and the struggle to be believed. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 6, 293-302. doi:10.1016/j.ejcnurse.2007.02.006
27.
YildirimO.YontarO.SemizM.ErdemA.CananF.YontarG.KuguN. (2012). The effect of radiofrequency ablation treatment on quality of life and anxiety in patients with supraventricular tachycardia. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 16, 2108-2112.
