Sinus Tachycardia Vs. Supraventricular Tachycardia (Sustained) on Your Watch ECG

Sinus Tachycardia SVT ECG
Qaly Heart
Qaly is built by Stanford engineers and cardiologists, including Dr. Marco Perez, a Stanford Associate Professor of Medicine, Stanford Cardiac Electrophysiologist, and Co-PI of the Apple Heart Study.

Key Takeaways

Got other questions on Sinus Tachycardia or SVT? See the Qaly guides on Sinus Tachycardia and SVT:

Introduction

The ECG feature on modern smartwatches has introduced an unprecedented convenience in self-monitoring abnormal heart rhythms like sinus tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). The discussion on sinus tachycardia vs SVT often involves understanding these two often-confused heart rhythms and their manifestations on the ECG. Let’s dive in.

What’s Sinus Tachycardia?

Sinus tachycardia is a condition where the heart beats faster than normal, at more than 100 beats per minute in adults. It’s often a normal response to stress, fever, dehydration, or strenuous physical activity.

Sinus Tachycardia read on an Apple Watch ECG through the Qaly app.
Sinus Tachycardia read on an Apple Watch ECG through the Qaly app.

On an ECG, sinus tachycardia is marked by a regular rhythm with a rate exceeding 100 beats per minute, where every QRS complex is preceded by a normal P wave. Here’s more on what sinus tachycardia looks like on your watch ECG.

Sinus Tachycardia read on a Samsung Watch ECG through the Qaly app.
Sinus Tachycardia read on a Samsung Watch ECG through the Qaly app.


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What’s Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)?

SVT is an abnormal fast heart rhythm starting in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart, leading to a heart rate often between 150 to 250 beats per minute.

SVT read on an Apple Watch ECG through the Qaly app.
SVT read on an Apple Watch ECG through the Qaly app.

On an ECG, SVT is identified by a rapid, regular rhythm with typically narrow QRS complexes. Often, P waves are difficult to see. “Non-sustained” SVT lasts less than 30 seconds, whereas “sustained” SVT lasts longer, sometimes even up to several hours. Here’s more on what SVT looks like on your watch ECG.

SVT read on a Kardia ECG through the Qaly app.
SVT read on a Kardia ECG through the Qaly app.

What’s the Difference Between SVT and Tachycardia?

The difference between SVT and Tachycardia is that, on the ECG, distinguishing SVT vs sinus tach often hinges on the visibility of P waves, which are typically visible in sinus tachycardia but often obscured or absent in SVT.

When comparing SVT vs sinus tachycardia, note that sinus tachycardia is often a physiological response to normal life events like stress or exercise, whereas SVT is typically considered an underlying heart issue. While sinus tachycardia can often be addressed by managing the underlying cause like relaxing to reduce your heart rate, SVT might require therapeutic interventions, such as medications or procedures like cardiac ablation. Distinguishing between SVT vs tachycardia on your watch's ECG can be an effective step towards better heart health management. Stay informed, stay proactive, and stay heart healthy!

Still Not Sure if It’s Sinus Tachycardia or Supraventricular Tachycardia on Your ECG?

Differentiating between sinus tachycardia vs SVT on your ECG can be tricky. If you’re still looking for help interpreting your ECG further, check out the Qaly app on App Store or Play Store. On Qaly, human experts will interpret your ECGs within minutes, day or night. Try out the Qaly app today!

Wondering if it's Sinus Tachycardia or SVT? On the Qaly app, human experts will interpret your ECGs for Sinus Tachycardia and SVT within minutes. Get started today.

Try free, cancel any time
Download Qaly
App Store - Download Qaly | ECG Reader
Download Qaly
Google Play - Download Qaly | ECG Reader
Download Qaly
Start today, cancel any time
QALY app - ecg reviews, ecg reader, ecg interpretations, review your ecg

Get unlimited ECG reviews today, cancel anytime -->

Get unlimited ECG reviews today, cancel anytime -->

Wondering if it's Sinus Tachycardia or SVT? On the Qaly app, human experts will interpret your ECGs for Sinus Tachycardia and SVT within minutes. Get started today.

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