SIMPLE TACHYCARDIA IN CHILDREN

The significance of tachycardia is difficult to determine in children; it may be the result of organic heart disease or of a functional disturbance of little importance. The normal variations in cardiac rate in children extend over wide limits and emotional stimuli readily increase the rate. Occasionally tachycardia which is not associated with infection or heart disease may persist for long periods and be a cause of alarm to both the patient and the physician. Over a period of years we have observed ten children with rapid cardiac rates and we have attempted to discover the possible etiologic factors and the effects of the continued tachycardia on the health and development of these children. LITERATURE The literature on the subject of tachycardia, especially in childhood, is meager. Tezner 1 was impressed by the frequency with which tachycardia occurred in a group of 1,965 school children from 6 to 14 years