Ventricular Arrhythmia

Sometimes problems with the heart's electrical signals lead to a fast heart rhythm. Too many signals may make the heart beat very fast (tachycardia). Or signals may be sent so rapidly and irregularly that the heart muscle sometimes quivers and doesn't beat at all (fibrillation).

Ventricular Tachycardia (VT)

• With VT, abnormal electrical pathways or circuits develop in the ventricles, usually in an area of heart muscle that's been damaged by heart attack or disease.

• Electrical signals enter the abnormal circuit and loop around, each time telling the ventricles to contract. This makes the heart beat very fast.

• VT can sometimes develop into the most serious arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation.

Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)

• With VF, the ventricles contain many abnormal circuits. These are usually due to damaged heart muscle.

• When signals enter the circuits, the ventricles beat very quickly and irregularly, so the heart muscle can't pump effectively.

• If the heart gets to the point that it can't pump at all (cardiac arrest), death may occur if emergency treatment isn't given to return the heart rhythm to normal.