The electric system of the heart regulates the rhythm and pumping action. It contains specialized cells that generate and conduct signals. A coordinated pattern is followed in the healthy heart. It starts from the sinoatrial node and contracts by the atria and ventricles, At the end, it reached to the ventricles to pump the blood. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) disrupts this whole process. It produces rapid and irregular impulses from the different ventricles. It fibrillates the heart muscle instead of the contraction.
Epidemiology
VF can occur at any age. It also includes people with young age who has genetic or structural heart abnormalities. Factors like geographical location, population dem1ographics and healthcare infrastructure can vary the cases and significance. Age is the major risk which cause cardiac disease and lead to VF. Males are at high risk of VF than the females. The ration is high because males are at high risk of the coronary heart disease and other heart diseases.
Anatomy
Pathophysiology
VF is a heart disease. The pathophysiology of VF is a connection between electrical, cellular and anatomical factors. It is caused by disruption in the electrical signals in the electrical conduction system of heart. The associated factors include abnormal pathways, scar tissue, ischemia or structural abnormalities. The electrical functions of the ventricles may differ in refractory times and conduction velocities. These differences may lead to reentrant circuits. At some of the areas, the recovery will be ery quick and result in the chaotic electrical activity. Ion channels create and spread the electrical signals in the heart cell. Mutation or dysregulation in the ion channels may affect the normal electrical activity of the heart. This lead to arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation.
Etiology
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a fatal and serious arrhythmia. It is caused by connection between factors that affect the electrical system of heart. Structural abnormalities develop VF. Ischemia is caused by reduction in the blood flow and oxygen supply. It leads to the dysfunction of cell and affect the ion channel activity. This leads to risk of VF. Electrolyte imbalances like low potassium level may increase the irregularities. The autonomic nervous system regulated heart rate and conduction. It also can lead to VF because of sympathetic dominance and parasympathetic relaxation under stress. Drug toxicity and physical trauma can affect the electrical stability in heart.
Genetics
Prognostic Factors
VF is a medical emergency. It can lead to the sudden cardiac arrest. If it is not recognized and treated, then it can lead to death. It is necessary to treat in a particular time.
Clinical History
VF is caused if patient have a history of heart diseases or other risk factors. Heart diseases like history of heart attacks, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease and electrolyte imbalance. It leads to low blood pressure, loss of consciousness, collapse and unresponsiveness. This may lead to disorganization and ineffectiveness of the heart contraction. This results in the absence of the palpable pulse. The symptoms may include pale or blue kin because of the lack of oxygenated blood circulation. It occur suddenly and progress quickly.
Physical Examination
The physical examination of VF may indicate the severe cardiac arrhythmia and impaired circulation. This can lead to the absence of a palpable pulse, irregular or gasping breaths, dilated pupils and limp body. The disruption on the ventricle contractions may affect the heartbeat. This lead to floppy and limp appearance of a person.
Age group
Associated comorbidity
Associated activity
Acuity of presentation
Differential Diagnoses
Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
Ventricular flutter
Pulseless electrical activity
Laboratory Studies
Imaging Studies
Procedures
Histologic Findings
Staging
Treatment Paradigm
Preventive Management
Primary treatment results in the reduction of the sudden cardiac deaths from VF. Many V cases are caused by ventricular tachycardia and different arrhythmias. Prior detection of the arrhythmias can prevent the VF. Ambulatory electrocardiography and implantable cardiac motions can detect the symptoms of VF. Healthcare providers should also suggest the genetic test and counselling for the any hereditary arrhythmia disease in family. This will allow to treat well.
Pharmacotherapy
Amiodarone is mostly studied medicines. It prevents sudden cardiac death. Survival effect remains controversial. Most of the research have not seen any advantage of the use of this medicine over placebo or ICD therapy. Sotalol is linked to increased death risk. This is because of its ability to decrease the required level to defibrillation. There is a major reduction in the cases of sudden cardiac death in 2007. Chronic beta blocker treatment with reduction in the ejection fraction can also reduced the sudden cardiac death.
Early Defibrillation: Early defibrillation on the occurrence within minutes can improve the chances of the survival. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are easy to use by laypersons. It is important in public places where VF occurs.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Along with defibrillation, CPR helps to keep the flow of the blood in the important organs. High quality CPR involves the chest compressions at the correct rate and depth and also sufficient ventilation.
Temperature Control: Hypothermia improves the results in patients with VF. Measurements of the cooling like ice packs and cooling devices is used to induce the therapeutic hypothermia. It is followed resuscitation from VF.
Changes in Lifestyle Modifications: Lifestyle changes like quite the smoking, regular exercise and healthy diet also reduce the risk of the cardiac diseases
Use of Antiarrhythmic Drugs
Lidocaine: Lidocaine is an antiarrhythmic drug. It inhibits the abnormal electrical activity in the heart. It administrates intravenously during the cardiac arrest.
Amiodarone:Â Amiodarone lasts for the long-time duration and for refractory period in cardiac events. It stabilizes the cardiac rhythm.
Procainamide: Procainamide is an antiarrhythmic agent. It treats the VF when other medicines are ineffective. It slows down conduction in the heart. It stabilizes the cardiac rhythm.
Use of Vasopressors
Epinephrine: It belongs to vasopressor and sympathomimetic medication. It is administered in the cardiac arrest and VF. It increases he heart rate, myocardial contractility and systemic vascular resistance. It improves the coronary and cerebral perfusion during resuscitation efforts.
Immediate CPR: CPR performs immediately before the defibrillation. It preserves the blood circulation and oxygenation. Proper CPR performs by chest compressions and ventilation.
Defibrillation: The defibrillation process uses a defibrillator. It uses pads or paddles which are placed on the chest of the patient. It administers a regulated electrical shock to the heart.  It allows the natural pace to the heart to take control and restores normal sinus rhythm. The shock is designed to depolarize the myocardium and end the uncontrolled electrical activity in VF.
Recognition and Initial Response: The symptom of VF includes sudden loss of consciousness. Absence of pulse and irregular or loss of breathing. Initiate the CPR immediately because it maintains he blood circulation and oxygenation.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS):Â Healthcare providers starts the ACLS treatment. Medicines and fluid resuscitation are administered by intravenously.
Post-Resuscitation Care:Â Hemodynamic status of patient, airway and breathing status must be assessed and manage. To prevent the complications, it is necessary to provide the particular treatment and supportive care.
The electric system of the heart regulates the rhythm and pumping action. It contains specialized cells that generate and conduct signals. A coordinated pattern is followed in the healthy heart. It starts from the sinoatrial node and contracts by the atria and ventricles, At the end, it reached to the ventricles to pump the blood. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) disrupts this whole process. It produces rapid and irregular impulses from the different ventricles. It fibrillates the heart muscle instead of the contraction.
VF can occur at any age. It also includes people with young age who has genetic or structural heart abnormalities. Factors like geographical location, population dem1ographics and healthcare infrastructure can vary the cases and significance. Age is the major risk which cause cardiac disease and lead to VF. Males are at high risk of VF than the females. The ration is high because males are at high risk of the coronary heart disease and other heart diseases.
VF is a heart disease. The pathophysiology of VF is a connection between electrical, cellular and anatomical factors. It is caused by disruption in the electrical signals in the electrical conduction system of heart. The associated factors include abnormal pathways, scar tissue, ischemia or structural abnormalities. The electrical functions of the ventricles may differ in refractory times and conduction velocities. These differences may lead to reentrant circuits. At some of the areas, the recovery will be ery quick and result in the chaotic electrical activity. Ion channels create and spread the electrical signals in the heart cell. Mutation or dysregulation in the ion channels may affect the normal electrical activity of the heart. This lead to arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation.
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a fatal and serious arrhythmia. It is caused by connection between factors that affect the electrical system of heart. Structural abnormalities develop VF. Ischemia is caused by reduction in the blood flow and oxygen supply. It leads to the dysfunction of cell and affect the ion channel activity. This leads to risk of VF. Electrolyte imbalances like low potassium level may increase the irregularities. The autonomic nervous system regulated heart rate and conduction. It also can lead to VF because of sympathetic dominance and parasympathetic relaxation under stress. Drug toxicity and physical trauma can affect the electrical stability in heart.
VF is a medical emergency. It can lead to the sudden cardiac arrest. If it is not recognized and treated, then it can lead to death. It is necessary to treat in a particular time.
VF is caused if patient have a history of heart diseases or other risk factors. Heart diseases like history of heart attacks, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease and electrolyte imbalance. It leads to low blood pressure, loss of consciousness, collapse and unresponsiveness. This may lead to disorganization and ineffectiveness of the heart contraction. This results in the absence of the palpable pulse. The symptoms may include pale or blue kin because of the lack of oxygenated blood circulation. It occur suddenly and progress quickly.
The physical examination of VF may indicate the severe cardiac arrhythmia and impaired circulation. This can lead to the absence of a palpable pulse, irregular or gasping breaths, dilated pupils and limp body. The disruption on the ventricle contractions may affect the heartbeat. This lead to floppy and limp appearance of a person.
Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
Ventricular flutter
Pulseless electrical activity
Preventive Management
Primary treatment results in the reduction of the sudden cardiac deaths from VF. Many V cases are caused by ventricular tachycardia and different arrhythmias. Prior detection of the arrhythmias can prevent the VF. Ambulatory electrocardiography and implantable cardiac motions can detect the symptoms of VF. Healthcare providers should also suggest the genetic test and counselling for the any hereditary arrhythmia disease in family. This will allow to treat well.
Pharmacotherapy
Amiodarone is mostly studied medicines. It prevents sudden cardiac death. Survival effect remains controversial. Most of the research have not seen any advantage of the use of this medicine over placebo or ICD therapy. Sotalol is linked to increased death risk. This is because of its ability to decrease the required level to defibrillation. There is a major reduction in the cases of sudden cardiac death in 2007. Chronic beta blocker treatment with reduction in the ejection fraction can also reduced the sudden cardiac death.
Early Defibrillation: Early defibrillation on the occurrence within minutes can improve the chances of the survival. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are easy to use by laypersons. It is important in public places where VF occurs.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Along with defibrillation, CPR helps to keep the flow of the blood in the important organs. High quality CPR involves the chest compressions at the correct rate and depth and also sufficient ventilation.
Temperature Control: Hypothermia improves the results in patients with VF. Measurements of the cooling like ice packs and cooling devices is used to induce the therapeutic hypothermia. It is followed resuscitation from VF.
Changes in Lifestyle Modifications: Lifestyle changes like quite the smoking, regular exercise and healthy diet also reduce the risk of the cardiac diseases
Lidocaine: Lidocaine is an antiarrhythmic drug. It inhibits the abnormal electrical activity in the heart. It administrates intravenously during the cardiac arrest.
Amiodarone:Â Amiodarone lasts for the long-time duration and for refractory period in cardiac events. It stabilizes the cardiac rhythm.
Procainamide: Procainamide is an antiarrhythmic agent. It treats the VF when other medicines are ineffective. It slows down conduction in the heart. It stabilizes the cardiac rhythm.
Epinephrine: It belongs to vasopressor and sympathomimetic medication. It is administered in the cardiac arrest and VF. It increases he heart rate, myocardial contractility and systemic vascular resistance. It improves the coronary and cerebral perfusion during resuscitation efforts.
Immediate CPR: CPR performs immediately before the defibrillation. It preserves the blood circulation and oxygenation. Proper CPR performs by chest compressions and ventilation.
Defibrillation: The defibrillation process uses a defibrillator. It uses pads or paddles which are placed on the chest of the patient. It administers a regulated electrical shock to the heart.  It allows the natural pace to the heart to take control and restores normal sinus rhythm. The shock is designed to depolarize the myocardium and end the uncontrolled electrical activity in VF.
Recognition and Initial Response: The symptom of VF includes sudden loss of consciousness. Absence of pulse and irregular or loss of breathing. Initiate the CPR immediately because it maintains he blood circulation and oxygenation.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS):Â Healthcare providers starts the ACLS treatment. Medicines and fluid resuscitation are administered by intravenously.
Post-Resuscitation Care:Â Hemodynamic status of patient, airway and breathing status must be assessed and manage. To prevent the complications, it is necessary to provide the particular treatment and supportive care.
The electric system of the heart regulates the rhythm and pumping action. It contains specialized cells that generate and conduct signals. A coordinated pattern is followed in the healthy heart. It starts from the sinoatrial node and contracts by the atria and ventricles, At the end, it reached to the ventricles to pump the blood. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) disrupts this whole process. It produces rapid and irregular impulses from the different ventricles. It fibrillates the heart muscle instead of the contraction.
VF can occur at any age. It also includes people with young age who has genetic or structural heart abnormalities. Factors like geographical location, population dem1ographics and healthcare infrastructure can vary the cases and significance. Age is the major risk which cause cardiac disease and lead to VF. Males are at high risk of VF than the females. The ration is high because males are at high risk of the coronary heart disease and other heart diseases.
VF is a heart disease. The pathophysiology of VF is a connection between electrical, cellular and anatomical factors. It is caused by disruption in the electrical signals in the electrical conduction system of heart. The associated factors include abnormal pathways, scar tissue, ischemia or structural abnormalities. The electrical functions of the ventricles may differ in refractory times and conduction velocities. These differences may lead to reentrant circuits. At some of the areas, the recovery will be ery quick and result in the chaotic electrical activity. Ion channels create and spread the electrical signals in the heart cell. Mutation or dysregulation in the ion channels may affect the normal electrical activity of the heart. This lead to arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation.
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a fatal and serious arrhythmia. It is caused by connection between factors that affect the electrical system of heart. Structural abnormalities develop VF. Ischemia is caused by reduction in the blood flow and oxygen supply. It leads to the dysfunction of cell and affect the ion channel activity. This leads to risk of VF. Electrolyte imbalances like low potassium level may increase the irregularities. The autonomic nervous system regulated heart rate and conduction. It also can lead to VF because of sympathetic dominance and parasympathetic relaxation under stress. Drug toxicity and physical trauma can affect the electrical stability in heart.
VF is a medical emergency. It can lead to the sudden cardiac arrest. If it is not recognized and treated, then it can lead to death. It is necessary to treat in a particular time.
VF is caused if patient have a history of heart diseases or other risk factors. Heart diseases like history of heart attacks, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease and electrolyte imbalance. It leads to low blood pressure, loss of consciousness, collapse and unresponsiveness. This may lead to disorganization and ineffectiveness of the heart contraction. This results in the absence of the palpable pulse. The symptoms may include pale or blue kin because of the lack of oxygenated blood circulation. It occur suddenly and progress quickly.
The physical examination of VF may indicate the severe cardiac arrhythmia and impaired circulation. This can lead to the absence of a palpable pulse, irregular or gasping breaths, dilated pupils and limp body. The disruption on the ventricle contractions may affect the heartbeat. This lead to floppy and limp appearance of a person.
Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
Ventricular flutter
Pulseless electrical activity
Preventive Management
Primary treatment results in the reduction of the sudden cardiac deaths from VF. Many V cases are caused by ventricular tachycardia and different arrhythmias. Prior detection of the arrhythmias can prevent the VF. Ambulatory electrocardiography and implantable cardiac motions can detect the symptoms of VF. Healthcare providers should also suggest the genetic test and counselling for the any hereditary arrhythmia disease in family. This will allow to treat well.
Pharmacotherapy
Amiodarone is mostly studied medicines. It prevents sudden cardiac death. Survival effect remains controversial. Most of the research have not seen any advantage of the use of this medicine over placebo or ICD therapy. Sotalol is linked to increased death risk. This is because of its ability to decrease the required level to defibrillation. There is a major reduction in the cases of sudden cardiac death in 2007. Chronic beta blocker treatment with reduction in the ejection fraction can also reduced the sudden cardiac death.
Early Defibrillation: Early defibrillation on the occurrence within minutes can improve the chances of the survival. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are easy to use by laypersons. It is important in public places where VF occurs.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Along with defibrillation, CPR helps to keep the flow of the blood in the important organs. High quality CPR involves the chest compressions at the correct rate and depth and also sufficient ventilation.
Temperature Control: Hypothermia improves the results in patients with VF. Measurements of the cooling like ice packs and cooling devices is used to induce the therapeutic hypothermia. It is followed resuscitation from VF.
Changes in Lifestyle Modifications: Lifestyle changes like quite the smoking, regular exercise and healthy diet also reduce the risk of the cardiac diseases
Lidocaine: Lidocaine is an antiarrhythmic drug. It inhibits the abnormal electrical activity in the heart. It administrates intravenously during the cardiac arrest.
Amiodarone:Â Amiodarone lasts for the long-time duration and for refractory period in cardiac events. It stabilizes the cardiac rhythm.
Procainamide: Procainamide is an antiarrhythmic agent. It treats the VF when other medicines are ineffective. It slows down conduction in the heart. It stabilizes the cardiac rhythm.
Epinephrine: It belongs to vasopressor and sympathomimetic medication. It is administered in the cardiac arrest and VF. It increases he heart rate, myocardial contractility and systemic vascular resistance. It improves the coronary and cerebral perfusion during resuscitation efforts.
Immediate CPR: CPR performs immediately before the defibrillation. It preserves the blood circulation and oxygenation. Proper CPR performs by chest compressions and ventilation.
Defibrillation: The defibrillation process uses a defibrillator. It uses pads or paddles which are placed on the chest of the patient. It administers a regulated electrical shock to the heart.  It allows the natural pace to the heart to take control and restores normal sinus rhythm. The shock is designed to depolarize the myocardium and end the uncontrolled electrical activity in VF.
Recognition and Initial Response: The symptom of VF includes sudden loss of consciousness. Absence of pulse and irregular or loss of breathing. Initiate the CPR immediately because it maintains he blood circulation and oxygenation.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS):Â Healthcare providers starts the ACLS treatment. Medicines and fluid resuscitation are administered by intravenously.
Post-Resuscitation Care:Â Hemodynamic status of patient, airway and breathing status must be assessed and manage. To prevent the complications, it is necessary to provide the particular treatment and supportive care.
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