Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation

Abstract

Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation are the most important causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD), particularly in those with structural heart disease and reduced left ventricular function. It is important to distinguish ventricular tachycardia from supraventricular tachycardia. A wide spectrum of ventricular arrhythmias exists, from those where the heart is structurally normal to those with structural heart disease. Each entity has a distinctive pathophysiology, treatment plan and prognostic outcome. Treatment modalities include simple beta-blockade to implantation of implantable cardiac defibrillator and ablative approaches. In general, those ventricular arrhythmias associated with a structurally normal heart are more benign than those associated with structural heart disease.

Management of Arrhythmias in Heart Failure

“…Amiodarone (150–300 mg in 5 min iv, followed by an infusion of 1050 mg/day) is also useful, but its onset of action is slower than lidocaine or procainamide, and the results of acute termination studies have been variable [ 84 ].…”

Targeting the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter complex in cardiovascular disease

“…119 Although both are causes of sudden cardiac arrest, VT has a better prognosis and lower mortality rate than VF. 120 When RuRed was washed out, both the LVCMG and fast Fourier transform spectra signaled VF, supporting the possibility that the improvement of the mechanical performance of the hearts was caused by the compound. 119 Notably, similar effects were seen when pre-perfusing the heart with RuRed with a reduced incidence of until the compound was washed out.…”

“…In a pacing‐induced arrhythmia model, in isolated rat hearts, characterized by an irregular left ventricular cardiomyography (LVCMG) with a VF‐like wide‐band spectrum and low and irregular left ventricular pressure, RuRed promoted the conversion of VF to ventricular tachycardia (VT) in 25 of 28 tested hearts, where the latter pathologic state was the precursor of the former 119 . Although both are causes of sudden cardiac arrest, VT has a better prognosis and lower mortality rate than VF 120 . When RuRed was washed out, both the LVCMG and fast Fourier transform spectra signaled VF, supporting the possibility that the improvement of the mechanical performance of the hearts was caused by the compound 119 .…”

Brugada Pattern Mimicking Myocardial Acute Infarct

“…Since then, systemic diseases, structural heart diseases such as right ventricular arrhythmogenic dysplasia and myocarditis in general, and especially ischemic heart diseases have been associated with ventricular arrhythmias, constituting their main cause today 6 .…”