What Does A Heart Rate Of 150 Beats Per Minute During Pregnancy Indicate?

Posted on Sat, 29 Mar 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 29 Mar 2014 Answered on

Sat, 19 Apr 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Hello, my niece who is 22 weeks pregnant, has racing heart (diagnosed by local doctor as having SVT on EEG. spent night in hospital, which also said she was dehydrated( she had vomited only once), anaemic, low magnesium, but have now sent her home. They gave her 3 bags of fluid including magnesium and said that she didn't have SVT there even though her heart is still racing at 150. What do you think?? Regards XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Karl Logan (9 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Your niece needs further assessment Detailed Answer: Having a heart rate of 150 beats per minute is abnormal and worrying particularly in someone who is 22 weeks pregnant. An SVT, supra ventricular tachnycardia, is a cardiac arrythmia (abnormal beat) that can be diagnosed on an ECG, a tracing of the heart. Even if she does not have an SVT a heart rate of 150 beats per minute would prompt any dr to do further tests to try and find the cause. Dehydration, pain, anxiety, anaemia can call lead to a fast heart rate, a tachycardia, and I would hope that the doctors treating your niece would give her some indication as to what they felt the diagnosis was. If she is felling unwell with this heart rate then she should seek medical attention. I would also encourage her to have a foetal assessment and ultrasound and to puruse a second opinion if she is not satisfied with what her treating physician has told her about her condition.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E