Ventricular Fibrillation

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Updated:Aug 21,2015
Ventricular fibrillation is life-threatening
Ventricular fibrillation (v-fib
for short) is the most
serious cardiac rhythm
disturbance. The lower
chambers quiver and the
heart can't pump any blood,
causing cardiac arrest.
How it works
The heart's electrical activity
becomes disordered. When
this happens, the heart's
lower (pumping) chambers
contract in a rapid,
unsynchronized way. (The
ventricles "fibrillate" rather
than beat.) The heart
pumps little or no blood.
Collapse and sudden
cardiac arrest follows -- this
is a medical emergency!
Watch an animation of v-fib.
Signs of cardiac arrest

Sudden loss of responsiveness (no response to tapping on shoulders)

No normal breathing (the victim is not breathing or is only gasping)

This is sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) -- which requires immediate medical help (CPR
and defibrillation)!

Treatment for cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation

Ventricular fibrillation can be stopped with a defibrillator, which gives an electrical shock to the
heart. If you see someone experiencing the signs of cardiac arrest:

Yell for help. Tell someone to call 9-1-1 and get an automated external defibrillator (AED) if
one is available.You begin CPR immediately.

If you are alone with an adult who has these signs of cardiac arrest, call 9-1-1 and get an
AED (if one is available) before you begin CPR.

When doing CPR, push down on the chest at least 2 inches at a rate of at least 100
compressions a minute. After each compression, let the chest come back up to its normal
position.

Use an AED as soon as it arrives.

Continue CPR until the person starts to respond or trained emergency medical help
arrives and takes over.

While Hands-Only CPR (giving chest compressions alone) may be effective for teens or
adults who suddenly collapse, the AHA recommends CPR with a combination of
compressions and breaths (given as sets of 30 compressions and 2 breaths) for: all
infants, children up to puberty, anyone found already unconscious and not breathing
normally, and any victim of drowning, drug overdose, collapse due to breathing problems,
or prolonged cardiac arrest.

Learn more about defibrillation

Reducing risk of ventricular fibrillation

Arrhythmia medications may help control rhythm disturbances.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) can correct life-threatening rhythms in highrisk patients.

Ventricular tachycardia is a fast heart rate that starts in the heart's lower chambers (ventricles). It
can be a life-threatening heart rhythm and requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.
How it happens
Electrical signals in the ventricles fire abnormally, which interferes with electrical signals coming
from the sinoatrial (SA) node --- the heart's natural pacemaker. The rapid heartbeat does not allow
enough time for the heart to fill before it contracts so blood does not get pumped throughout the
body.
Causes of Ventricular Tachycardia
Usually associated with disorders of that heart which interfere with the normal conduction system of
the heart. These disorders may include:

Lack of oxygen to areas of the heart due to lack of coronary artery blood flow

Cardiomyopathy in which the structure of the heart becomes distorted

Medications

Sarcoidosis (an inflammatory disease affecting skin or other body tissues)

Symptoms of Ventricular Tachycardia

Dizziness

Lightheadedness

Unconsciousness

Cardiac arrest

Consequences of Ventricular Tachycardia

This type of arrhythmia may be either well-tolerated or may be life-threatening. The seriousness
depends largely on whether other cardiac dysfunction is present, and on the rate of VT.

Treatment of Ventricular Tachycardia

The type and length of treatment depends on what's causing the problem. If required, treatment
may include:

May require immediate electrical defibrillation

Medication (prescribed for home use and/or administered by healthcare professionals)

Radiofrequency ablation

Surgery