Ventricular Tachycardia Flashcards
What is Ventricular tachycardia?
A broad-complex tachycardia originating from a ventricular ectopic focus
What are ventricular ectopics?
Premature ventricular beats due to random electrical discharges from outside the atria.
How is ventricular tachycardia diagnosed?
Individual random, abnormal, broad QRS complexes on a background of a normal ECG.
What does ventricular tachycardia have the potential to precipitate into?
Ventricular fibrillation
How many types of ventricular tachycardia are there?
Two
What are the two types of ventricular tachycaardia?
monomorphic VT
polymorphic VT
What is monomorphic VT usually caused by?
Myocardial infarction
What is polymorphic VT precipitated by?
Prolongation of the QT interval.
What is a subtype of polymorphic VT?
Torsades de pointes
What is the drug management of VT?
- amiodarone: ideally administered through a central line
- lidocaine: use with caution in severe left ventricular impairment
- procainamide
What drug should not be used in the management of VT?
Verapamil
What is the management of VT if drug therapy fails or patient has adverse signs?
- Synchronised DC shocks
What are characteristics of ventricular tachycardia?
Heart rate of more than 100 bpm
QRS width of more than 120 ms
How can ventricular tachycardia be classified based on pulse?
Pulsed: palpable pulse
Pulseless: no pulse
How can ventriculcar tachycardia be classified based on length?
Sustained: >30 s
Non-sustained: <30 s
