Ventricular fibrillation consists of a change in the heart rhythm due to a change in irregular electrical impulses, which make the ventricles tremble uselessly and the heart beat rapidly, instead of pumping blood to the rest of the body, resulting in symptoms such as pain in the body. increased heart rate, or even loss of consciousness.
Ventricular fibrillation is the main cause of sudden cardiac death and is considered a medical emergency and should therefore be attended to quickly, and it may be necessary to resort to cardiac resuscitation and a defibrillator.
What are the signs and symptoms
Ventricular fibrillation can be identified by signs and symptoms such as chest pain, very fast heartbeat, dizziness, nausea and difficulty breathing.
In most cases, the person loses consciousness and it is not possible to identify these symptoms, it is only possible to measure the pulse. If the person does not have a pulse, it is a sign of cardiorespiratory arrest, and it is very important to call a medical emergency and start cardiac resuscitation. Learn how to save the life of a cardiac arrest victim.
Possible causes
Ventricular fibrillation usually results from a problem with the heart's electrical impulses due to a heart attack or damage to the heart that has resulted from a heart attack in the past.
In addition, some factors may increase the risk of suffering from ventricular fibrillation, such as:
- Having suffered from a heart attack or ventricular fibrillation; Suffering from a congenital heart defect or cardiomyopathy; Taking a shock; Using drugs, such as cocaine or methamphetamine, for example; Having an electrolyte imbalance, such as potassium and magnesium, for example.
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How the diagnosis is made
It is not possible to make a properly anticipated diagnosis of ventricular fibrillation, as it is an emergency situation, and the doctor can only measure the pulse and monitor the heart.
However, after the person is stable, tests can be done, such as electrocardiogram, blood tests, chest X-ray, angiogram, computed tomography or magnetic resonance, to understand what may have caused ventricular fibrillation.
What is the treatment
Emergency treatment consists of cardiac resuscitation and the use of a defibrillator, which usually regulates the heart rate again. After that, the doctor can prescribe antiarrhythmic drugs to be used daily and / or in emergency situations, and recommend the use of an implantable defibrillator cardioverter, which is a medical device that is implanted inside the body.
In addition, if the person suffers from coronary heart disease, the doctor may recommend angioplasty or the insertion of a pacemaker. Learn more about coronary heart disease and how treatment is done.
