VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA

Course overview

VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA (VT) IS A WIDE COMPLEX ARRHYTHMIA OF VENTRICULAR ORIGIN, DEFINED AS THREE OR MORE CONSECUTIVE BEATS AT A RATE OF MORE THAN 100 BEATS PER MINUTE. SUSTAINED VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA IS DEFINED AS TACHYCARDIA THAT CONTINUES FOR MORE THAN 30 SECONDS OR LEADS TO HEMODYNAMIC COMPROMISE WITHIN 30 SECONDS AND REQUIRES INTERVENTION. ON THE OTHER HAND, NON-SUSTAINED VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA LASTS LESS THAN 30 SECONDS AND DOES NOT CAUSE HEMODYNAMIC INSTABILITY. ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA, AND VT HAS A WIDE RANGE OF CLINICAL PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING PALPITATIONS, CHEST PAIN, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, SYNCOPE, AND CARDIAC ARREST. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA.