Ventricular tachycardia is a disorder that affects the heart rhythm caused by changes in electrical signals in the lower part of the heart, called the ventricle, causing an increase in heart rate, with beats above 120 per minute, which prevents the ventricle from filling with blood properly, leading to a decrease in the heart’s ability to pump blood to the body and lungs.
Generally, ventricular tachycardia can cause symptoms of heart palpitation or weakness, which can last for a few seconds and in most cases it improves spontaneously, but in some cases, when it occurs frequently or lasts more than 30 seconds, it can cause other symptoms such as feeling short of breath, chest pain, fainting or even cardiac arrest.
Therefore, it is important to consult a cardiologist so that the cause of ventricular tachycardia can be identified and the most appropriate treatment can be initiated, which may involve the use of medication or surgery, in the most serious cases.
Main symptoms
Ventricular tachycardia may not cause symptoms in some people when it lasts a few seconds or is not very frequent. However, when the heart begins to have greater difficulty pumping blood to the body properly, it can cause symptoms such as:
- Heart palpitation;
- Dizziness;
- Excessive weakness;
- Shortness of breathe;
- Chest pain;
- Rapid pulse;
- Fainting.
Furthermore, when symptoms are felt for more than 30 seconds, there is a greater risk of cardiac arrest, which can be life-threatening, and therefore, when experiencing any of the symptoms of ventricular tachycardia, care should be sought. doctor immediately or the nearest emergency room.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia must be made by a cardiologist based on symptoms, assessment of personal and family history, clinical examination and some tests such as electrocardiogram, Doppler echocardiogram, X-ray, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, angiography or Holter monitoring, for example . Find out how the Holter exam is performed.
Furthermore, by analyzing the tests, the doctor can classify the type of ventricular tachycardia, which includes:
- Not supported: which is when the heartbeat reaches more than 120 beats per minute and lasts less than 30 seconds;
- Sustained: which is when the heart reaches more than 120 beats per minute for more than 30 seconds;
- Monomorphic: when the heart maintains a constant frequency of accelerated heartbeats with each beat;
- Polymorphic: when the heart rate changes with each beat.
Although there are several types of ventricular tachycardia, they all cause similar symptoms, however, sustained ventricular tachycardia is more serious and can cause ventricular fibrillation, which is when the heart contracts in a disorderly way, which can result in cardiac arrest. Understand better what ventricular fibrillation is and how it is treated.
Possible causes
Ventricular tachycardia is caused by an interruption of the electrical impulses in the heart that control the pumping of blood to the body and lungs, and some factors can contribute to its appearance, such as:
- Heart attack;
- Dilated cardiomyopathy;
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
- Myocarditis;
- Problems in the coronary arteries such as coronary obstruction;
- Congenital heart defects that occur at birth;
- Use of drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamine;
- Use of medications such as antiarrhythmics or antibiotics;
- Imbalance of electrolytes in the body, especially potassium.
In some cases, when the cause of ventricular tachycardia cannot be identified, it is called idiopathic ventricular tachycardia.
How the treatment is carried out
Treatment for ventricular tachycardia must be guided by a cardiologist and aims to return the heartbeat to normal, in addition to preventing future episodes of tachycardia.
The main treatments for ventricular tachycardia include:
1. Cardioversion
Cardioversion consists of an “electric shock” to the person’s chest using a defibrillator, which is a machine that monitors the rhythm of the heartbeat before and after the shocks are applied.
This treatment is carried out in the hospital and is indicated in cases of sustained ventricular tachycardia, and is a procedure that does not cause pain, as the person receives sleeping medication before undergoing cardioversion.
2. Use of medicines
Some medications may be recommended by the cardiologist to prevent an increase in heart rate, such as antiarrhythmic drugs, calcium channel blockers or beta blockers, and are recommended in cases where the person has no symptoms but has episodes of ventricular tachycardia lasting more than 30 seconds.
However, this treatment is not as effective as cardioversion, and the risk of side effects is greater.
3. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
The implantable cardioverter defibrillator is a device similar to a pacemaker, placed in the chest through surgery, indicated for people who are at high risk of experiencing new episodes of ventricular tachycardia and which can put their lives at risk.
This device is capable of monitoring and detecting an increase in heart rate and applying electrical shocks to return the heart to its normal rhythm.
4. Catheter ablation
Catheter ablation is a type of surgery in which the doctor inserts a catheter into a vein or artery in the groin, arm or neck, to reach the heart and apply energy, called radiofrequency, with the aim of destroying the damaged parts. of the heart that may be causing ventricular tachycardia.
This treatment is carried out in a hospital, using general anesthesia or light sedation so that the person does not feel pain during the procedure.
5. Surgery
Cardiac surgery can be performed by a cardiologist when other treatment options are not effective in controlling the symptoms of ventricular tachycardia or when the person has a defect or change in the heart valves or blood vessels of the heart, for example.
Possible complications
The complications that ventricular tachycardia can cause are:
- Frequent fainting or loss of consciousness;
- Cardiac insufficiency;
- Cardiac arrest.
These complications depend on the severity of the ventricular tachycardia, the frequency with which the tachycardia occurs and the duration of the rapid heartbeat. Therefore, whenever there is a suspicion of a heart problem, it is very important to seek medical help.
