Causes of Ventricular Tachycardia

In this article, we will discuss various Causes of Ventricular Tachycardia. So, let’s get started.

Ventricular Tachycardia is a wide QRS (>0.12 sec) tachycardia consisting of 3 or more consecutive ventricular premature beats at a rate of >100 bpm. The sudden onset of a wide QRS tachycardia usually rings an alarm bell if the patient is symptomatic. If left untreated, VT may degenerate into a fatal ventricular flutter. VT may be sustained (persists for >30 seconds) or nonsustained (does not persist beyond 30 seconds). The sustained VT requires termination because of hemodynamic consequences. Repeated episodes (>2 in 24 hours) of VT require external cardioversion/defibrillation or DC shock therapy.

Causes

• Acute myocardial infarction or ischemia
• Cardiomyopathy (ischemic or idiopathic)
• Electrolyte disturbance (e.g. hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia)
• Drugs (e.g. digitalis and other proarrhythmics)
• Myocarditis, mitral valve prolapse
• Reperfusion
• Ventricular aneurysm
• Pacemaker mediated (e.g. DDD pacemaker)
• Mechanically induced by a pacing catheter or flow-directed pulmonary artery catheter.
• Idiopathic
• Miscellaneous such as right ventricular dysplasia, Bergada syndrome, sarcoidosis.