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Ventricular tachycardia is a dangerous arrhythmia, as a result of which it beats up to 200 beats per minute. This may be due to damage to the ventricles. It can occur as a result of many diseases, so it is difficult to clearly define the direct cause. In most cases, ventricular tachycardia is caused by ischemic heart disease. However, there are also other reasons for this serious ailment.
Ventricular tachycardia – symptoms
How often it appears is not established tachycardia. It happens that such a seizure is only a one-off incident. However, in some cases, there is persistent cardiac arrhythmia. Coronary heart disease, which is a consequence of myocardial infarction, is the most common cause of tachycardia. It happens that the cause also turns out to be systemic diseases and hormonal disorders. Such ventricular tachycardia may result from the use of anti-arrhythmic drugs and cardiac glycosides. Ventricular tachycardia gives characteristic symptoms. However, they depend on several factors: frequency, duration, cause of the tachycardia, and the condition of the heart. If tachycardia they are short and rare, usually asymptomatic. However, if symptoms occur, there is palpitations, weakness, fatigue and shortness of breath. Characteristic for ventricular tachycardia there are also so-called spots in front of the eyes. Such tachycardia can lead to cardiogenic shock. In extreme cases, they can cause cardiac arrest, which can be fatal. If we notice disturbing at home symptomscombined with a rapid heartbeat, you should visit your GP as soon as possible, who will order an ECG. When the result is ambiguous, he will refer you to a cardiology clinic. Only a cardiologist is able to unequivocally determine whether there are episodes in a particular case ventricular tachycardiaas well as referring to further diagnosis or specific therapy. The heart is the most important muscle in our entire body – do not ignore the signals it sends us!
Ventricular tachycardia – treatment
To take appropriate leczenie, it is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis and determine the cause ventricular tachycardia. To be recognized tachycardia an ECG test is used. However, if the patient complains of episodic tachycardia, you may need a Holter ECG. It differs from the usual test only in its duration. The Holter examination analyzes the heart function for 24 hours. However, the EKG will not provide us with information as to why it occurs tachycardia. In this case, the doctor must order other tests. Most often, the so-called heart echo, coronary angiography. You may need blood tests. In this connection, that ventricular tachycardia is a state that directly threatens human life, information about this state requires immediate action. Ventricular tachycardia can be stopped pharmacologically. In this case, drugs against cardiac arrhythmias are administered. If the body does not respond to the introduced leczenie, it is necessary to perform percutaneous ablation. It is nothing more than a cardiological procedure that is designed to destroy the arrhythmogenic focus, i.e. the area of the heart that is the substrate tachycardia. The last resort is to perform electrical cardioversion. It consists in applying electrodes to the skin and passing a short current pulse of high voltage. If we are dealing with ventricular tachycardia without a pulse, CPR and defibrillation should be performed as soon as possible. In fact, the choice of a particular treatment method tachycardia ventricular depends mainly on the patient’s condition. By tachycardia with a pulse, amiodarone is administered. We only use cardioversion when the patient is unconscious or unstable. It happens that in some cases, doctors are unable to establish the reason tachycardia. This mainly happens in young people. This is known as the term idiopathic tachycardia. If there is a risk of that ventricular tachycardia developed at the root of one of the systemic diseases, it should be taken up as soon as possible leczenie. Only the cure of the underlying disease will give a chance for a complete recovery and the disappearance of the worrying ones symptoms.