Ventricular tachycardia (VT)

About Ventricular tachycardia (VT)

A rapid heartbeat that starts in the ventricles. The disorder is very dangerous because the heart is beating so fast and working so hard that sometimes it cannot get the blood supply it needs. VT can also turn into ventricular fibrillation (VF), a potentially lethal irregular heart rhythm. In VF the heart is no longer beating: it just quivers, and no longer pumps blood to the body (cardiac arrest). Unless corrected immediately, VF results in death. VT occurs because of abnormal electrical communications within the heart. The most common causes are a heart attack, heart failure, illicit drug use, congenital heart defects, previous heart surgery, trauma to the heart, chemical abnormalities in the blood (electrolytes), and an over active thyroid (hyperthyroidism).

Symptoms

Racing heart, fast heart rate, palpitations, fainting (syncope), near-fainting, light headedness, breathing problems (shortness of breath), chest pain, sweating.

Tests & Diagnostics

A history and physical exam will be done. Extensive cardiac testing will be done to determine the cause of the ventricular tachycardia.

Common tests: Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), CT Scan, D-Dimer, EKG, MRI, Troponin, X-ray.

Path 3 — Prescription Options

Prescription medications

Conventional treatment summary

Therapy depends on the symptoms being experienced, the length of time the patient experiences the ventricular tachycardia (VT), and the cause of the VT. Prolonged VT is a medical emergency and depending on the symptoms being experienced may require CPR, immediate electrical shock to the heart (cardioversion or defibrillation), and medications to convert the heart back to a normal rhythm . To prevent recurrence of VT patients may need to take medications (procainamide, amiodarone, or sotalol), have radio frequency ablation, or surgery. Sometimes the VT events cannot be controlled or the risk of recurrence is very high requiring the placement of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). An ICD gives a lifesaving electrical shock every time the patient experiences VT.

Medical specialties

Cardiology · Pediatric Cardiology

This page is educational content, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment of Ventricular tachycardia (VT).