This reduces the amount of oxygenated blood the rest of the body receives.

When the impulses are properly synchronized, you have a normal heartbeat.

This reduces the amount of blood pumped out of theleft ventricle, causing the body’sblood pressure to drop.

Woman with shortness of breath

BSIP / UIG / Getty Images

Structural Heart Damage

There are many reasons why VT might occur.

These causes are characterized by the disruption of electrical impulses due tocongenital disordersand other causes.

This is thought to occur when cells surrounding the sinus node generate electrical impulses on their own.

The condition, also known asrepetitive monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (RMVT)is usually harmless.

Symptoms

With ventricular tachycardia, the chambers of the lower heart will beat rapidly.

With V-fib, the heart will not only beat rapidly but also beat erratically.

Even with medical treatment, 50% of people with V-fib will die as a result of cardiac arrest.

Unlike ventricular tachycardia, V-fib is always considered a medical emergency.

The treatment plan may involve medications, a procedure known as radiofrequency ablation, or an implanted defibrillator.

Medications

The drugs used to treat VT are calledantiarrhythmics.

When used for ventricular tachycardia, RFA blocks the electrical pathway that causes fast heart rhythms.

VT ablation is recommended when antiarrhythmic drugs fail to provide relief.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Ventricular tachycardia almost invariably requires treatment.

When it comes to symptoms like this, it is best to err on the side of caution.

Symptoms include chest pain, heart flutter, dizziness, and fainting.

Severe cases can lead to cardiac arrest and sudden death.

Whittaker J, Wright MJ, Tedrow U.Diagnosis and management of ventricular tachycardia.Clin Med.

2023;23(5):442-448. doi:10.7861/clinmed.2023-23.5.Cardio3

Stanford Health.Ventricular tachycardia.

doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.10.054

Al-Kalbani A, Al-Rawahi N.Management of monomorphic ventricular tachycardia electrical storm in structural heart disease.J Saudi Heart Assoc.

2021 Oct 8;23(Suppl E):E112E117.

2016;375(2):111-121. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1513614

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Implantable cardioverter defibrillation insertion.

2017 Sep-Oct;32(5):417422. doi:10.21470/1678-9741-2017-0003

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation.Myths and facts.