Treatment of sinus tachycardia varies. When the cause is known and treated, sinus tachycardia often resolves.
If you have inappropriate sinus tachycardia, where the cause is unknown, first-line treatment involves lifestyle modifications such as increasing exercise, boosting fluid intake and wearing compression stockings. Medication may also be needed, and sometimes it’s necessary to combine more than one to achieve the best results.
Sinus tachycardia can sometimes develop in response to stress, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help patients decrease anxiety and stress. During CBT sessions, a licensed mental health provider works with you to help you recognize unhelpful thought patterns and teaches you new ways to respond to them, such as breathing exercises. UK HealthCare providers can refer patients with sinus tachycardia to the appropriate mental health professionals for CBT.
Lifestyle changes are often recommended by healthcare providers because they can help patients manage symptoms, reduce complications and improve heart health. Talk with your doctor about how these heart-healthy changes can help.
- Eat a healthy diet. This includes eating fruits and veggies, lean meats, nuts, beans, fish and whole grains, while limiting sodium, added sugars and unhealthy fats.
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke. Avoid vaping and secondhand smoke as well.
- Limit alcohol. Men should have no more than two drinks per day and women should aim for no more than one drink per day.
- Reach and maintain a healthy weight.
- Get seven to nine hours of quality sleep per night. A sleep study may be helpful to determine whether you have a sleeping disorder.
- Manage other health problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, by taking medications properly and following your provider’s guidance.
- Stay physically active. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. Talk to your provider about what exercises are good for you. Be sure to watch for signs that your heart is working too hard; if you become short of breath or dizzy while exercising, stop and rest right away.
- Stay up to date on flu and COVID-19 vaccines to help avoid getting sick.
- Drink plenty of water, replenish electrolytes and cut back on sugary, caffeinated or energy drinks.
- Wear compression socks.
- Beta blockers: These medicines block the effects of adrenaline on the heart, which slows the heart rate and lessens the force of heart contractions.
- Calcium channel blockers: These medicines block calcium channels to the heart cells, which slows the heart rate and helps manage arrhythmias.
- Ivabradine: This medicine lowers the heart rate and helps manage chest pain and heart failure.
Sometimes, medicines or supplements are needed to elevate blood pressure in patients experiencing problematic sinus tachycardia.
