Supraventricular Tachycardia and the Struggle to Be Believed

Background: Little research exists examining patient experiences of life with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Realistic expectations of symptoms, patient management strategies, and treatment options are important components of patient education and treatment decisions.

Aim: This descriptive qualitative study explored patients' experiences living with SVT.

Methods: Grounded theory methodology was used with semi-structured interviews of 25 SVT patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation treatment.

Results: The main core category that emerged from the data was the "struggle to be believed". The struggle or work of living with SVT entails: (1) living with the uncertainty of the occurrence and duration of an episode, (2) "covering up" to manage symptoms and appear normal, (3) searching for causative factors to prevent further episodes, and (4) experimenting with management techniques to shorten or end episodes.

Conclusion: Clinical diagnosis and referral for ablation treatment were more difficult for women suggesting existence of a gender bias. As with many other chronic conditions, the illness trajectory work is formidable. Patients in this study with SVT, however, reported facing the additional difficulty of being believed. Disruptions in self-esteem and personal relationships are the effects of not being believed. Providers could avoid minimizing women's symptoms by listening seriously and offering realistic expectations; including insight into patient experiences and the trajectory of the dysrhythmia; and efficacy of drug and ablation treatments.