Treatment

Most people with AVNRT don't need medical treatment. However, if you have prolonged or frequent episodes, your doctor may recommend:

• Vagal maneuvers. You may be able to stop an episode of atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia by using particular maneuvers that include holding your breath and straining, dunking your face in ice water, or coughing.
• Cardioversion. If particular movements, such as coughing or straining, don't work, your doctor may recommend cardioversion. This treatment can be done using medications or by delivering a shock to your heart through paddles or patches on your chest. The shock affects the electrical signals in your heart and can restore a normal heart rhythm.
• Medications. If you have frequent episodes of AVNRT, your doctor may prescribe medication to control your heart rate or restore a normal heart rhythm.
• Catheter ablation. In this procedure, your doctor threads one or more catheters through your blood vessels to your heart. Sensors at the tip of the catheter use heat energy (radiofrequency) or extreme cold (cryoablation) to scar a small area of heart tissue and block the faulty signals that are causing your arrhythmia.