Ventricular Tachycardia ECG Interpretation
Description
- The morphologic features continue with the dysrhythmia. No P wave, wide and bizarre QRS.
- Ventricular Tachycardia occurs when the rate exceeds 100 bpm.
- Approximately 50% of patients become unconscious at the onset of ventricular tachycardia.
- Although patients in V Tach may be treated with a defibrillator, not all patients in Ventricular Tachycardia require this level of treatment.
- Depending upon their level of consciousness and blood pressure. The patient may be treated with medications, synchronized cardioversion or in the worst case scenario a defibrillator and BLS/ACLS response.
- This rhythm must always be reported whether the patient appears stable or not. (Follow your local reporting and treatment protocols)
Practice Strip
Analyze this tracing using the five steps of rhythm analysis.
Show Answer
- Rhythm: Regular
- Rate: 150
- P Wave: absent
- PR interval: n/a
- QRS: Wide and bizarre
- Interpretation: Ventricular Tachycardia
Authors and Sources
Authors and Reviewers
- EKG heart rhythm modules: Thomas O'Brien.
- EKG monitor simulation developer: Steve Collmann
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12 Lead Course: Dr. Michael Mazzini, MD.
- Spanish language EKG: Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
- Medical review: Dr. Jonathan Keroes, MD
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Heart sounds and mentorship: W. Proctor Harvey, MD
- Medical review: Dr. Pedro Azevedo, MD, Cardiology
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Last Update: 1/8/2023
Sources
-
Electrocardiography for Healthcare Professionals, 5th Edition
Kathryn Booth and Thomas O'Brien
ISBN10: 1260064778, ISBN13: 9781260064773
McGraw Hill, 2019 -
Rapid Interpretation of EKG's, Sixth Edition
Dale Dublin
Cover Publishing Company -
12 Lead EKG for Nurses: Simple Steps to Interpret Rhythms, Arrhythmias, Blocks, Hypertrophy, Infarcts, & Cardiac Drugs
Aaron Reed
Create Space Independent Publishing -
Heart Sounds and Murmurs: A Practical Guide with Audio CD-ROM 3rd Edition
Elsevier-Health Sciences Division
Barbara A. Erickson, PhD, RN, CCRN - Clinical Heart Disease
W Proctor Harvey, MD
Clinical Heart Disease
Laennec Publishing; 1st edition (January 1, 2009) -
The Virtual Cardiac Patient: A Multimedia Guide to Heart Sounds, Murmurs, EKG
Jonathan Keroes, David Lieberman
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkin)
ISBN-10: 0781784425; ISBN-13: 978-0781784429 - Project Semilla, UCLA Emergency Medicine, EKG Training Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
