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An increasing number of people visit hospitals these days, complaining of sudden rapid heartbeats due to ventricular tachycardia (VT).
VT, characterized by a fluttering sensation in the heart, dizziness, and shortness of breath, can lead to cardiac arrest and is a leading cause of sudden death.
Recently, an increasing number of people have been visiting the doctor with symptoms of sudden rapid heartbeat. Ventricular tachycardia (VT), which is characterized by a fluttering sensation, dizziness, and shortness of breath, can lead to cardiac arrest and even sudden death. (Credit: Getty Images)
Recently, an increasing number of people have been visiting the doctor with symptoms of sudden rapid heartbeat. Ventricular tachycardia (VT), which is characterized by a fluttering sensation, dizziness, and shortness of breath, can lead to cardiac arrest and even sudden death. (Credit: Getty Images)
Ventricular tachycardia is a type of arrhythmia that occurs in the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart. While a normal heartbeat is controlled by electrical signals that originate in the atria and travel to the ventricles, ventricular tachycardia is caused by an abnormal electrical circuit within the ventricles.
The ventricles contract too quickly, preventing the heart from pumping blood properly. This can lead to an emergency where vital organs, including the brain, are deprived of blood supply. The leading causes of ventricular tachycardia include myocardial infarction and cardiomyopathy, heart valve disease, and congenital heart disease.
“The risk of ventricular tachycardia increases when the heart muscle is damaged due to a myocardial infarction or when the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick or stretched due to cardiomyopathy or valve disease,” said Professor Kwon Chang-hee of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Konkuk University Medical Center.
Professor Kwon Chang-hee (Courtesy of Konkuk University Medical Center)
Professor Kwon Chang-hee (Courtesy of Konkuk University Medical Center)
Coronary artery disease, a narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, can also lead to a lack of oxygen supply to the heart muscle, which can cause ventricular tachycardia, Professor Kwon added.
In rare cases, VT can also be caused by an imbalance of electrolytes in the blood, including potassium, magnesium, and calcium, or by side effects of certain medications. There is also idiopathic VT, which occurs without a specific cause.
Treatments range from medications to defibrillation to radiofrequency electrode ablation
Ventricular tachycardia can lead to serious complications and requires immediate treatment. Antiarrhythmic drugs can be administered for acute ventricular tachycardia to return the heart rhythm to normal. For unstable ventricular tachycardia, which is more likely to lead to cardiac arrest, a defibrillator is used to deliver an electrical shock to the heart to normalize the heart rhythm.
“Patients who have experienced sudden death or syncope due to ventricular tachycardia are implanted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for secondary prevention,” Kwon noted. “Patients with low heart function due to ischemic myocardial infarction or nonischemic cardiomyopathy are also at high risk for future ventricular tachycardia and should be implanted with an ICD for primary prevention of sudden death.”
If ventricular tachycardia recurs despite medication or ICD implantation, radiofrequency electrode ablation, which uses radiofrequency energy to ablate the abnormal electrical circuitry in the ventricles that causes the tachycardia, can be considered, Professor Kown explained.
“We recently performed a successful electrode ablation in an 85-year-old patient, which allowed the patient to be weaned from recurrent defibrillator shocks,” Kwon said. “It is important to have many conversations with the patient, caregiver, and primary care physician about the procedure, and it is also essential to treat underlying conditions that cause VT, such as myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, and coronary artery disease.”
Ventricular tachycardia is one of the leading causes of sudden death. Still, early detection and proper treatment can significantly reduce the risk. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and managing your cardiovascular risk factors is also essential.
Most importantly, if you experience symptoms such as heart palpitations, chest pain, or shortness of breath, visit your doctor immediately for professional care.
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Kim Kyoung-Won kkw97@docdocdoc.co.kr
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