Ventricular tachycardia

Abstract

Ventricular tachycardia is defi ned as an arrhythmia which originates from the ventricles consisting of at least three or more consecutive beats at a rate of greater than 100/min and independent of AV or atrial conduction. If this terminates spontaneously within less than 30 s it is defi ned as non-sustained. If it lasts greater than 30 s or requires treatment for termination it is defi ned as sustained. Most commonly VT is associated with structural heart disease such as scar related re-entry in patients who have had a prior MI. Occasionally it may be associated with a structurally normal heart and is termed idiopathic. This is most commonly seen in the right ventricular outfl ow tract, coronary cusps, coronary veins or around the valve annuli.