VT represents a group of ‘electrical short-circuits’ originating
in the bottom chambers of the heart. This causes an
abnormally fast heart rhythm that may lead to black-outs
(syncope) or sudden cardiac death
Palpitations, dizziness, breathlessness, chest discomfort
Sudden cardiac death
Treatment is dependent on the type and location of the VT
Medications are a back-bone of therapy and include: beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers or amiodarone
Implantable cardiac defibrillators may be required if the VT is prolonged (>30 seconds), associated with severe symptoms (black-outs), or sometimes as a preventative if a patient is at very high risk (severe heart failure)
Ablation: this involves an electrophysiological (EP) study to identify the abnormal electrical tissue, then using radiofrequency ablation the area is burnt therefore disrupting the pathway
