non-sustained ventricular tachycardia
Pronunciation: non-sus-TAYND ven-TRIK-yuh-lar tak-ih-KAR-dee-ah
Also written as: NSVT — Non-Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia
Ventricular tachycardia lasting less than 30 seconds that terminates spontaneously. Often abbreviated as NSVT in clinical documentation.
Full Definition
Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) is defined as ventricular tachycardia consisting of three or more consecutive ventricular beats at a rate greater than 100 beats per minute that lasts less than 30 seconds and terminates spontaneously. NSVT is distinguished from sustained VT, which persists for 30 seconds or longer or requires intervention for termination. The clinical significance of NSVT varies greatly depending on the underlying cardiac structure and function. In patients with normal hearts, NSVT is often benign, while in those with structural heart disease, it may indicate increased risk of sudden cardiac death and warrant further evaluation including electrophysiology study.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate 'non-sustained' when used as a compound adjective.
In Context
- "Holter monitoring revealed multiple episodes of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, with the longest run lasting 15 beats." — Cardiac monitoring report
- "The patient's non-sustained ventricular tachycardia was deemed clinically insignificant given the normal ejection fraction." — Cardiology consultation note