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Sinus Tachycardia
Related Subjects: |Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) |Atrial Flutter |Atrial Fibrillation |Sinus Tachycardia |Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia |Junctional Tachycardia
📖 About Sinus Tachycardia
- Most often a physiological response (exercise 🏃♂️, anxiety 😰, pain).
- Can also reflect underlying pathology (sepsis 🦠, hypovolaemia 💉, thyrotoxicosis 🦋).
- Defined as sinus rhythm with rate >100 bpm.
📈 ECG Features
- Rate: >100 beats/min
- Rhythm: Sinus (normal P before each QRS)
- PR interval: ~0.20 sec (normal)
- QRS complex: Narrow & normal morphology
⚠️ Causes
- Physiological: Stress 😰, exercise 🏃♀️, anxiety
- Endocrine: Hyperthyroidism 🦋
- Systemic: Sepsis 🦠, shock 🚨, fever 🌡️
- Cardiac: Heart failure ❤️, pulmonary embolism 🫁
- Haematological: Anaemia 🩸, hypoxia
- Drugs: β-agonists, caffeine ☕, alcohol 🍷, withdrawal states
🧪 Investigations
- ECG 📈 (confirm sinus rhythm)
- Bloods: U&E, FBC, LFTs, TFTs
- Chest X-ray if pulmonary cause suspected 🫁
- Consider troponin if cardiac cause suspected ❤️
- Sepsis screen (cultures, lactate) if febrile 🦠
🛠️ Management
- Often physiological → no treatment needed ✅
- Address underlying cause (e.g. fluids for hypovolaemia, antibiotics for sepsis, thyrotoxicosis treatment)
- Review medications 💊 (e.g. bronchodilators, stimulants)
- Beta-blockers or ivabradine may be considered if persistent & highly symptomatic (after excluding secondary causes)
💡 Clinical Pearl:
Sinus tachycardia is usually a marker of another process, not a primary arrhythmia.
Always search for infection, hypoxia, bleeding, pain, or thyroid disease before treating the rate.
📚 Case Example
👩 A 28-year-old woman presents with fever 🌡️ and productive cough. Pulse: 120 bpm, regular. ECG shows sinus tachycardia 📈. FBC: raised WCC, CRP elevated. ✅ Diagnosis: Community-acquired pneumonia with sinus tachycardia as a physiological response. 🛠️ Management: IV antibiotics + fluids. No rate-control needed.
| The content on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only to support exam preparation (e.g., MLA, MRCP, USMLE) and learning. This is NOT medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional guidance. It does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional, official guidelines (e.g., NICE, GMC, BNF), or supervised clinical practice. Always verify information with current, authoritative sources. Makindo and its contributors accept no liability for any reliance on this content, including errors, omissions, or any resulting harm, loss, or consequences. By using this site, you agree to these terms. |
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