If I overdo, or overeat certain items then I would be more prone to triggering Supraventricular Tachycardia, because this condition is known to be triggered often by things like having too much of one food, or overdoing activities. These factors are also likely to trigger Supraventricular Tachycardia, because of my past experiences.

Supraventricular Tachycardia is a type of irregular heartbeat, it is also known as arrhythmia. It affects the upper chambers of the heart, caused by faulty signaling in the heart. This is controlled by electrical impulses, which controls the beating of the heart. It also has three categories:The first one is AVNRT or Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia, this is when the heart beats faster than 100 bpp and stops suddenly. It is due to a change in heart signaling. The second one is AVRT (Atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia), this is the most common one.   In this type, the electrical signal travels down one pathway from the top chamber to the bottom, then goes up the second pathway back to the top. This cycle repeats, causing the tachycardia to continue. The last one is Atrial tachycardia. During an episode the heart beats for more than 100 bpm, then later returns to normal ( 60-90 bpm). This one in particular is seen to be caused by faulty signaling in the heart. These signals cause the heartbeat to start too early in the heart's upper chambers. This then causes the rapid palpitations, and makes it so the heart is unable to be filled with blood. Unfortunately i have not seen my cardiologist for a few months so i'm not sure which one i have exactly. Supraventricular means above the ventricles. “The ventricles are the two lower chambers of the heart, one on the right and one on the left. The ventricles receive blood from the heart's upper chambers (atria) and pump it to the rest of the body.”- Ignite Healthwise,  LLC staff ,  July 31 2024 , Cigna healthcare. “Tachycardia (tak-ih-KAHR-dee-uh) is the medical term for a heart rate over 100 beats a minute. Many types of irregular heart rhythms, called arrhythmias, can cause tachycardia. A fast heart rate isn't always a concern.” - Mayo clinic staff, December 15 2023,  Mayo clinic. This activity takes place in the heart, with varying characteristics from each type of SVT.  I stated the three main ones above, but there are many more. These are: Sinus nodal reentrant tachycardia, Junctional ectopic tachycardia, Nonparoxysmal junctional tachycardia, Premature atrial contractions Accessory pathway tachycardias such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, Multifocal atrial tachycardia, Atrial fibrillation, Atrial flutter, sinus tachycardia, and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. To describe the function of this disorder, in the heart there's four core parts in the heart where the heart beats. Those four parts are the left and right atrium, and the left and right ventricle. There's also two signals that control the beating, those of which are the SA and AV nodes. “Electrical pulses in the heart are controlled by special groups of cells called nodes. The SA (sinoatrial) node generates an electrical signal that causes the upper heart chambers (atria) to contract. The signal then passes through the AV (atrioventricular) node to the lower heart chambers (ventricles), causing them to contract, or pump. The SA node is considered the pacemaker of the heart. Its electrical signals normally cause the atria of an adult's heart to contract at a rate of about 60 to 100 times a minute.” - Healthwise staff, october 24 2023, MyHealthAlberta.ca   Though much activity could affect this disorder, there's no particular sport that affects it. Attacks can happen from extra activity or when you overtrain. Another reason why food can impact my heart rate is because of glucose( sugar) intake. “Hyperinsulinemia and elevated blood glucose levels have both been associated with a higher heart rate.”- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4170780/#:~:text=Hyperinsulinemia%20and%20elevated%20blood%20glucose,with%20a%20higher%20heart%20rate. 

Glucose can impact heart rate through blood pressure. Sugar is able to cause high blood pressure or hypertension. This elevates heart rates. Caffeine like coffee tea or matcha  can also elevate heart rates by releasing noradrenaline, and norepinephrine.  Having SVT encourages your heart to beat faster, due to extra beats in the heart. This is easier to accomplish by drinking caffeine which I don’t want to do.

Now that I have information on this disorder, is treatment necessary, and what types of treatment are there?  For less severe SVT situations there are maneuvers that can get you out of the attack. This includes: Blowing into a bag or straw, coughing hard , doing a handstand(to get blood to your head), the valsalva maneuver, or a carotid artery massage. These maneuvers temporarily stop attacks. For more severe cases you could take medicine prescribed by a doctor like  beta- blockers, calcium channel blockers, or adenosine.  Another type of treatment you can receive is electrocardioversion. This is done by placing two adhesive pads, and shocking your heart with electricity to remove other electrical activity to restart the heart's function. The last form of treatment is Catheter ablation. This treatment option is done by cutting a slit where the biggest blood vessel of your body is ( the inner thigh), and placing a small catheter inside all the way to your heart. Then they either freeze or burn the area affected. This is the most preferred as most are cured permanently from this. When having an attack they are to last from seconds to hours, or maybe even a whole day. 

Manipulated: activities, food, drinks, amount of activity

Responding : heart rate, chest pain, sweating, dizziness ( symptoms of SVT)

Controlled: the person(me)

I will do things I normally do like going to school, or other activities, and note it down everyday after my research is done. I will note what activities I did such as running, or eating to test if anything I do on a certain day affects my SVT. I will also check my pulse after such activities by using the method done by using your fingers and a stopwatch or timer. This is done by putting your index and pointer finger just under your jawline on your neck to feel a pulse, as you're doing that you count your heartbeat for 15 seconds, and multiply by 4 for an approximate count of your bpm.

 For my experiment I looked for many factors. This included sugar, and caffeine intake, physical activity, hydration, consumption, heart rate, and SVT triggers. Throughout my experiment, I noticed a pattern in when I consumed caffeine, or sugar led to an increase in my heart rate. For example, after snacking on Coffee Crisp, Kit Kat, and drinking juice, my heart rate consistently elevated. At certain times, which include caffeine intake, my heart rate exceeds 100 bpm, and on November 28th, I experienced an SVT attack after the consumption of caffeine. This suggests that caffeine, and sugar may overstimulate my heart, and increase risks to an irregular heart rate. Physical activities also played a major role in my heart rhythm. Gym warm ups, running, and dancing created significant increases, some of which cause my heart rate to exceed 150 bpm. On November28, and December 11, my heart rate rose to 180 bpm , and triggered an SVT episode. However, during less effort activities like walking, my heart rate remained stable. This shows that intense physical activity is a potential SVT trigger. Hydration amounts appeared to be the greatest factor on my heart rate, and SVT frequency. On the days where I drank less water, I recorded higher resting heart rates, and was more prone to SVTattacks. This was seen on October 21st, and November 21st,dehydration was a major factor leading to my SVT attacks. When I was properly hydrated, my heart rate was stable at resting heart rates of 54-95 bpm, the average. This communicates that maintaining proper hydration is essential for maintaining my SVT symptoms. Varieties of food showed effects on my heart in various ways: meals of high carbs like rice, bread, and pasta often kept my heart stable, while food of higher sugar, or processed foods lead to an increase in my heart rate. For example after meals like sushi, pork rice, and soup dumplings my heart rate stayed relatively low, but after consuming sugary desserts, and processed snacks, my heart rate increased often. This emphasizes that over-eating heavy meals could lead to a slower recovery for my heart rate after activity, highlighting that portion control, and balanced nutrition are key factors in heart health. By analyzing my data, I noticed common factors that contributed to my SVT attacks. Overexertion, consumption of caffeine, dehydration, and excessive sugar intake were the most frequent triggers. On multiple occasions I  experienced SVT attacks, after gym warm ups, consuming coffee related products, or failing to drink enough water. To note my most severe SVT attacks: November 28th, October 21st, and November 21st followed a combination of these factors. This embraces the importance of monitoring my diet, hydration, and activity levels. In conclusion my observations showed that caffeine, sugar, dehydration, and intense physical activity significantly impacted my heart rate, often triggering SVT attacks. By staying hydrated, moderating exercise, and avoiding excessive caffeine and sugar, I can better manage my condition and reduce the risk of future attacks

My data reflected that caffeine, sugar, dehydration, and intense physical activity significantly increased my heart rate, with some cases leading to  SVT attacks. Days where I was properly hydrated, and had blanched meals resulted in stable heart rates, while excessive sugar intake, and overexertion led to heart rates over 150 bpm. The most noticeable trend was that high intense activity, along with dehydration or caffeine intake, often triggered high heart rates, and SVT attacks. On days where I consumed sugary foods, or caffeine, my heart rate rose, Supporting the idea that such substances overstimulate my heart. Caffeine , and sugar are known stimulants that increase adrenaline, leading to a faster heart rate. Exercise naturally raises heart rate, but overexertion can put an excessive strain on the cardiovascular system especially among individuals that experience arrhythmias. Dehydration reduces blood which could explain why I experience more SVT attacks prior to low water intake. The combination of these factors likely created the perfect conditions for my heart rate to exceed normal levels, causing irregular beats. One limitation of my experiment was relying on self-measured heart rate data, which may not have been perfectly precise. External factors like stress or sleep quality might have also influenced my heart rate but were not directly measured. A more controlled study using medical-grade monitors could provide even more reliable data. Conclusion: The data supports my hypothesis that excessive sugar, caffeine, dehydration, and overexertion contribute to heart rate spikes and SVT episodes. This analysis highlights the importance of maintaining hydration, moderating exercise, and avoiding stimulants to help regulate my heart rate and prevent SVT attacks. Future research could explore how other factors, such as sleep or stress, influence my heart rate and SVT occurrences.

The data collected from my experiment supports my hypothesis that excessive sugar, caffeine, dehydration, and overexertion contribute to an increased heart rate, and SVT attacks. Through daily monitoring of my meals, physical activity, hydration levels, and heart rate, I observed consistent patterns linking these factors to heart rate spikes. Caffeine, and sugar intake were major contributors to elevated heart rates, with multiple occasions of SVT attacks occurring after consuming products like Coffee Crisp, and juice. Physical activity also played a significant role, as intense exercise, particularly gym warm ups, running, and dancing, often led to heart rates exceeding 150 bpm, sometimes triggering SVT attacks. Besides the listed triggers, Dehydration was a key factor. Lower water intake created higher resting heart rates, and an increased risk of SVT attacks. Balanced meals, especially  food rich in carbohydrates, and proteins appeared to stabilize my heart rate, while highly processed, and sugary foods often resulted in an irregular heart rate. One limitation of my study was the reliance on self measured heart rate data, which may not be quite precise . Factors such as stress, and sleep were not measured, though they also impact heart rate. A more controlled study using medical grade monitors, and tracking additional variables like sleep could provide more accurate insights. In conclusion, my observation indicates that moderating caffeine, and sugar intake, staying properly hydrated, and balancing physical activity, are essential for meaning my SVT symptoms. Future research could explore the effects of stress, and sleep on SVT to further refine strategies for managing this condition. 

 The insights from my experiment provide a clear path for managing my SVT more effectively. By identifying caffeine, sugar, dehydration, and overexertion as key triggers, I can make lifestyle adjustments to reduce the risk of heart rate spikes and SVT attacks. One of the most immediate steps I can take is improving my hydration habits. Since my data showed that dehydration contributed to multiple SVT attacks, I will make an  effort to drink more water throughout the day to keep my heart rate stable. To include, I will be more mindful of my diet by limiting caffeine and processed sugars, which I found over stimulates my heart. Choosing meals that are balanced with proteins, healthy carbohydrates, and less sugar will help maintain a steady heart rate. I will also focus on portion control to avoid the effects of overeating, which seemed to slow my heart rate recovery after physical activity. For exercise, I now understand that while staying active is important, overexertion can be dangerous for my heart. I can modify my workout routine by incorporating lower-intensity activities and monitoring my heart rate more closely during exercise to avoid exceeding safe limits. Using a smartwatch to track my heart rate trends will also help me recognize early warning signs and prevent SVT episodes before they escalate. By applying these findings to my daily routine, I can better manage my SVT symptoms and reduce the frequency of attacks. Over time, tracking my progress and making small adjustments will help me develop a healthier lifestyle that supports my heart health while allowing me to stay active and enjoy the foods I love in moderation. 

Following my data collection, quite a few factors manipulated the accuracy of my results. One error in my project was my self measured heart data. In my project I used a pulse checking method, and a smartwatch which may not be as accurate as medical grade monitors. The way I count, time my stopwatch and the smartwatch sensors could lead to slight errors within the project. A second factor would be other manipulators of heart rate. Our heart rates can rise or lower due to many circumstances including: physical activity, emotions, food, drugs∕stimulants, temperature, body position, medicine, relaxation, and sleep. Two of the listed were accounted for in my project. Hower from lack of sleep, or a lot of stress my heart rate can rise or lower, which was not recorded in my project. Due to this the effects of food and physical activity may not be direct effects on my heart. To add on the amount of physical activity was not recorded, just my heart rate. This makes it hard to determine if my heart rate was because of food, dehydration, or exertion. While I did record the food eaten by myself, I didn't measure  nutritional value. The lack in nutritional data meant that imbalance in nutritional ingredients could impact my heart in a way opposed to my knowledge. In addition, though hydration was identified as a key factor, the exact intake of water was not recorded. This made it difficult to determine the relation between hydration and SVT. Lastly, because of myself being both the subject and data collector, there could be unintentional bias in how I record symptoms, and how I recognise my symptoms. Understanding how certain factors acted toward my heart could subconsciously affect the interpretation of my symptoms. To improve accuracy in a future project project I could: use medical grade monitors, track additional variables, consistent physical activity, and do this study for longer to have more data. By acknowledging, and  addressing my sources or errors, I can improve my accuracy and authenticity  for future projects. 

-How to Check Your Heart Rate (Manually and Using a Device)

-https://chatgpt.com/c/6725873f-a418-8001-a5ec-8f63053ed056 - used for simplifying paragraphs, and vocabulary

-Supraventricular tachycardia - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic 

-Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) | Frankel Cardiovascular Center | Michigan Medicine 

- What foods should people avoid and consume with SVT?

-How does supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) affect the heart?  

-Supraventricular Tachycardia | Cedars-Sinai. 

-Heart ventricles | Cigna. 

-Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT): Types, Causes, & Risk Factors 

-Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) Treatments | Stanford Health Care. 

-Electrical Cardioversion | Johns Hopkins Medicine 

-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441972/ 

-Perspective: Cardiovascular Responses to Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in Humans: A Narrative Review with Potential Hemodynamic Mechanisms - PMC)%20(Figure%201). 

-https://www.scripps.org/news_items/7679-how-does-sugar-affect-your-heart-health 

-Q&A: What effect does caffeine have on your heart?. 

I would like to express my deepest gratitude towards the many people who supported me throughout the course of my research. First, and foremost I would like to thank my science teacher, Ms. Grewal, for her time , encouragement, and expertise throughout my study. Her science classes, and enthusiasm gave me the pride, and motive to keep working. I would also like to thank my fellow peers for their assistance, inspiration in my data collection, especially those who helped me with my timer. A special thanks to my cardiologists who provided information that couldn't be proved online, and also printed out my ECG scan. I would also like to acknowledge the support form websites like: https://www.mayoclinic.org/ , https://www.cedars-sinai.org/home.html , and https://www.cigna.com/ (to list a few) for providing information on my condition. Lastly, I would like to thank my family, and friends for their unconditional love, and support throughout this journey. Their encouragement gave me motivation, and strength to continue, even when I doubted myself.