Excessively rapid heartbeat (arrhythmia) originating in the ventricle, which causes low blood pressure, shock, build-up of fluid in the lungs, and sometimes, palpitations. This condition occurs primarily in people who have serious heart disease, and must be treated as an emergency. Several drugs are used to treat this problem. Cardioversion is employed to stabilize the heart’s rhythm if ventricular tachycardia follows a heart attack.
An abnormally fast heartbeat that originates in the ventricles (lower chambers) of the heart. Ventricular tachycardia requires urgent medical attention and may be life-threatening. Sustained ventricular tachycardia tends to deteriorate into ventricular fibrillation, in which the heart flutters rapidly and inefficiently rather than pumping. Ventricular fibrillation results in death within minutes unless a normal heart rhythm is restored.
Three or more consecutive ventricular ectopic complexes (duration greater than 120 msec) occurring at a rate of 100 to 250 bpm. Although non-sustained VT may occasionally be well-tolerated, it often arises in hearts that have suffered ischemic damage or cardiomyopathic degeneration and may be a cause of sudden death. Non-sustained VT lasts less than 30 sec. Sustained VT lasts more than 30 sec and is much more likely to produce loss of consciousness or other life-threatening symptoms.
An excessively fast heart rhythm characterized by a sequence of at least three beats originating from the ventricular region, occurring at a rate exceeding 100 beats per minute, typically ranging from 150 to 200 beats per minute.
A severe cardiac arrhythmia where each heartbeat originates from electrical impulses in the ventricles (lower heart chambers), instead of the normal initiation from the sinoatrial node situated in the right atrium (upper heart chamber).
It involves an excessively rapid heart rate caused by significant heart conditions, such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) or cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease). This increased rate can persist for a brief period of a few seconds or extend for several days.
The diagnosis is verified through an electrocardiogram (ECG). Urgent management involves defibrillation (the delivery of an electric shock to the heart) and the administration of an antiarrhythmic medication.