Final answer:
The classic ECG presentation of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) typically shows rapid and regular P waves and QRS complexes, with a heart rate often exceeding 150 beats per minute. The QRS complexes remain narrow, and the PR interval is generally absent or abnormal due to the rapid heart rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The classic electrocardiogram (ECG) presentation of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) shows a rapid series of P waves and QRS complexes, often at rates exceeding 150 beats per minute. This rapid rhythm can result in the P waves being superimposed upon the previous T waves, or even become hidden within the QRS complex, making them difficult to discern. It is important to note that the QRS complexes in SVT typically remain narrow, a characteristic that helps to distinguish SVT from other types of tachyarrhythmias involving the ventricles, such as ventricular tachycardia.
During SVT, the heart's electrical system is triggering rapid heartbeats that may cause symptoms such as heart palpitations, dizziness, or chest pain. The tracing of SVT on an ECG might lack the normal PR interval variability seen in a typical sinus rhythm, and instead presents with a regular spacing of the aberrantly fast QRS complexes.
Understanding the intricacies of an ECG, such as recognizing the patterns seen in SVT, generally requires specialized training and experience.