Ventricular Fibrillation

Question 1

Structural abnormalities

Answer 1

Heart may have normal structure- e.g. genetic condition of long QT- syndrome
Ventricles may be hypertrophied due to high BP or genetic disease e.g. hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Most frequently ventricles are dilated and scarred (e.g. after MI or viral myocarditis)

Question 2

Physiological abnormalities

Answer 2

Electrical activity= disorganised and chaotic
heart quivers or fibrillates but doesn’t beat
No blood pumped –> rapid loss of consciousness

Question 3

Symptoms

Answer 3

prior warning symptoms: palipitations, light headedness, chest pain
Loss consciousness

Question 4

signs

Answer 4

motionless, unresponsive- verbal and shaking
slow deep snoring or no signs of breathing
no pulse
collapse is sudden and dramatic

Question 5

Abnormal test results

Answer 5

ECG= random

Question 6

Medical/ surgical intervention

Answer 6

ABC strategy:
Airway- protect by extending the neck
Breathing- using O2 bag and mask
Circulation- external cardiac massage
Definitive treatment: DC shock- defibrillator

Question 7

Primary and secondary prevention

Answer 7

Beta-blockers sometimes used to reduce risk of ventricular rhythm abnormalities
Automatic internal defibrillators (AID)- can be implanted like a pacemaker for patients who survive or who are at a high risk of a first event