![]() ![]() ECG showing ventricular tachycardia degenerating into ventricular fibrillation. This is pathognomonic (unique) to ventricular fibrillation and must not be confused with any other arrhythmia.įigure 2. No P-wave, QRS complex or T-wave can be seen. The ECG shows irregular waves with varying morphology and amplitude. Electrolyte disorders, acidosis, hypoxemia and ischemia all aggravate the risk of developing ventricular fibrillation, in any situation. Other common causes are cardiomyopathy (hypertrophic or dilated), arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, Brugada syndrome, early repolarization. Most of these have atherosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) as the underlying cause. The prognosis is very poor, with the majority of patients dying.Īpproximately 80% of individuals who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest have ventricular fibrillation prior to the cardiac arrest. The mechanisms in ventricular fibrillation are, as in atrial fibrillation, the existence of multiple re-entry circuits which cause chaotic ventricular depolarization. The patient dies if the rhythm is not restored. ![]() The absence of contractions causes syncope and circulatory collapse. Ventricular fibrillation means that the ventricles do not produce any meaningful contractions, they merely fibrillate. These arrhythmias lead to death if cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not started immediately. This article will focus on ventricular fibrillation, pulseless electrical activity and sudden cardiac arrest. Ventricular fibrillation, pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and sudden cardiac arrest ![]()
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