Description A rapid heartbeat t...
Description
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 fatal 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
Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment
Workup:
An EKG will be done: it accurately reveals that a person is having VT.
Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), CT Scan, D-Dimer, Electrocardiogram (EKG), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Troponin, X-ray
Other Specific Tests: echo-cardiogram, coronary angiography, stress test, electrophysiology study
Specialists:
Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiology
Workup:
An EKG will be done: it accurately reveals that a person is having VT.
Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), CT Scan, D-Dimer, Electrocardiogram (EKG), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Troponin, X-ray
Other Specific Tests: echo-cardiogram, coronary angiography, stress test, electrophysiology study
Specialists:
Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiology
Treatment
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), and/or have a procedure that uses radio waves to block abnormal electrical circuits in the heart. If, despite treatment, VT keeps recurring, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is placed in the body by relatively minor surgery. An ICD gives a lifesaving electrical shock every time a person experiences VT.