AV Nodal Re-Entrant Tachycardia: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT):

Leading symptoms

  • Tachycardia (heartbeat too fast: > 100 beats per minute) – sudden onset of regular, usually rapid palpitations (heart rate: 160-250/min).
  • Syncope (brief loss of consciousness).
  • Palpitations (heart palpitations), often accompanied by feelings of anxiety.
  • Heart failure (cardiac insufficiency)
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure)
  • Polyuria (urinary flooding), especially after tachycardia (heartbeat too fast: > 100 beats per minute) (due toincreased ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide) release).
  • If necessary, also dyspnea (shortness of breath).
  • Possibly also vertigo (dizziness)

Other notes

  • Paroxysmal cardiac arrhythmia characterized by sudden onset and termination of episodes (on-off phenomenon).
  • “frog sign”, i.e. jugular vein pulsations felt by the patient as pulsations in the neck area. In this case, the atria contract simultaneously with the ventricles (due tosynchronous atrial and ventricular activation).
  • Usually terminability of episodes by vagal maneuvers (e.g., forced exhalation against the closed mouth and nasal opening with simultaneous use of the abdominal press). This leads to an increase in vagal tone with alteration of conduction properties in the AV node.