Ventricular Tachycardia
Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a rapid type of heartbeat that starts in the lower part of the heart (ventricles). VT is a potentially lethal arrhythmia and can lead to cardiac arrest. Anyone with a diagnosis of this arrhythmia must seek emergency medical attention during an episode.
Symptoms
- Heart palpitations
- Fast pulse
- Chest pain
- Lightheadedness and fainting
Diagnostics and Tests
Typically, VT occurs in patients with abnormal hearts most commonly due to a history of heart attacks and/or heart failure. As with any arrhythmia, the most important first step is making a diagnosis. A diagnosis is obtainable by an ECG (shown below) during the event or by performing an electrophysiology study.
An electrophysiology study is a diagnostic, catheter-based procedure. Our heart rhythm specialists insert a tiny pacemaker wire into the heart via the groin vessels and stimulate the abnormal rhythm in a controlled medical environment to confirm the diagnosis. Once a diagnosis of VT is obtained, the doctor simply turns off the rhythm via the pacemaker wires.
Patients with VT should undergo a complete cardiac work-up, including cardiac imaging and stress testing to rule out underlying reversible causes of this rhythm.
Treatments
Treatment is divided into emergent and long-term therapy. Emergently, either EMS or the ER doctor will shock the heart out of the rhythm. Long-term therapies include medication, insertion of an implantable defibrillator and even catheter ablation to permanently cure the rhythm.