Ventricular tachycardia is a severe cardiac arrhythmia in which the heart beats faster than normal (more than 100 beats). It is called ventricular tachycardia because the heartbeat starts in the lower chambers of the heart, called ventricles.
The most frequent cause is lack of oxygen in the myocardial cells, secondary to myocardial infarction and angina pectoris.
It manifests with chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath and fainting episodes. It can be the cause of sudden death.
The diagnosis is established by clinical history and electrocardiogram performed at the time of the episode. Other tests will be necessary to determine the cause of the arrhythmia (echocardiography, electrophysiological study, coronary angiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging).
In non-severe cases, intravenous antiarrhythmics will be used. In severe cases, treatment will consist of reversing the arrhythmia electrically (electrical cardioversion).
Once recovered from the acute situation, the cause of the arrhythmia must be determined and treated.
- Peter J Zimetbaum. Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia: Clinical manifestations, evaluation, and management. UpToDate, Junio 2016
- Philip J Podrid. Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia: Diagnosis and evaluation. UpToDate, Agosto 2014
- European Heart Rhythm Association, Heart Rhythm Society, Zipes DP, et al. ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 guidelines for management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force and the European Society of Cardiology Committee for Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Develop Guidelines for Management of Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death). J Am Coll Cardiol 2006; 48:e247.
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