Supraventricular tachycardia and the struggle to be believed.
BACKGROUND
Little research exists examining patient experiences of life with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Realistic expectations of symptoms, patient management strategies, and treatment options are important components of patient education and treatment decisions.


OBJECTIVE
This descriptive qualitative study explored patients' experiences living with SVT.


METHODS
Grounded theory methodology was used with semi-structured interviews of 25 SVT patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation treatment.


RESULTS
The main core category that emerged from the data was the "struggle to be believed". The struggle or work of living with SVT entails: (1) living with the uncertainty of the occurrence and duration of an episode, (2) "covering up" to manage symptoms and appear normal, (3) searching for causative factors to prevent further episodes, and (4) experimenting with management techniques to shorten or end episodes.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical diagnosis and referral for ablation treatment were more difficult for women suggesting existence of a gender bias. As with many other chronic conditions, the illness trajectory work is formidable. Patients in this study with SVT, however, reported facing the additional difficulty of being believed. Disruptions in self-esteem and personal relationships are the effects of not being believed. Providers could avoid minimizing women's symptoms by listening seriously and offering realistic expectations; including insight into patient experiences and the trajectory of the dysrhythmia; and efficacy of drug and ablation treatments.
Wood
Kathryn A
KA
Family Health Care Nursing, Box 0606, 2 Koret Way, Nursing 411Y, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0606, United States. kathryn.a.wood@nursing.ucsf.edu
Wiener
Carolyn L
CL
Kayser-Jones
Jeanie
J
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015984:Causality; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012495:San Francisco; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D035501:Uncertainty