What Causes Ventricular Tachycardia?
Ventricular tachycardia is no joke. Although it isn’t the most common condition in the U.S., it can cause life-threatening symptoms for those who deal with it.
Read on to learn more about this heart condition from our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team.
What Is Ventricular Tachycardia?
Ventricular tachycardia (VT or V-tach) is a type of irregular heart rhythm, or arrhythmia. A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute, but VT causes the heart to beat over 100 beats per minute. This causes the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart) to not be filled properly, which disallows the rest of the body from receiving enough oxygenated blood.
We’ve listed the most common symptoms VT causes below.
Common Ventricular Tachycardia Symptoms
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
- Lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath
What Causes Ventricular Tachycardia?
VT is usually caused by heart issues that have occurred in the past, like a prior heart attack, which causes the heart muscle to be damaged and scar tissue to create abnormal electrical pathways in the ventricles.
In some cases, those who haven’t had any prior heart issues can develop what’s called idiopathic ventricular tachycardia, which is when when cells outside the sinus node start generating an electrical impulse automatically on their own. This type of VT is easier to address and isn’t usually life-threatening.
Most Common VT Treatments
- Radiofrequency ablation. This is a minimally invasive procedure that is used to destroy the cells that cause ventricular tachycardia. Although effective, it’s not quite as effective among people who have already-existing heart damage.
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). This is an implanted device that provides an electrical pulse to the heart that helps to reset a dangerously irregular heartbeat.
- Medication. Medications such as sotolol, flecainide and propafenone can all help to prevent arrhythmic heart issues.
If you want to learn more about VT, don’t hesitate to reach out to our AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga team! We are eager to help.