Am J Cardiol. Friberg L(1). Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia in which the coordinated contraction of the ventricular myocardium is replaced by high-frequency, disorganized excitation, resulting in failure of the heart to pump blood. Epub 2018 Sep 12. Ventricular fibrillation causes. See if you are eligible for a free NHS flu jab today. Medications and drugs possibly causing Ventricular fibrillation including prescription medications, toxins, chemicals, and other exposures. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9149(02)03375-1. Please see our Terms of Use. Radiofrequency ablation: most cases of VF are not amenable to radiofrequency ablation and require ICD placement. Am Heart J. Arrhythmias associated with cardiac arrest are divided into two groups: Non-shockable rhythms: asystole and pulseless electrical activity (PEA): see the separate article on. Your heart should beat in a regular, steady pattern. We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content and ads. from the best health experts in the business, Adult tachycardia (with pulse) algorithm; Resuscitation Council UK, 2010, Arrhythmia - implantable cardioverter defibrillators; NICE Technology Appraisal, January 2006, Adgey AA, Spence MS, Walsh SJ; Theory and practice of defibrillation: (2) defibrillation for ventricular fibrillation. eCollection 2019 Jul. Our servers have detected that you are accessing this site from a country that is a member of the European Union. Epub 2020 Jun 5. Certain drugs can induce ventricular tachycardia (VT) by creating reentry, ventricular after potentials or exaggerating the slope of phase 4. Professional Reference articles are designed for health professionals to use. COVID-19: how to treat coronavirus at home. A major adverse outcome from a VF event is anoxic encephalopathy. VF is the most commonly identified arrhythmia in cardiac arrest patients. Most cases of ventricular fibrillation occur in patients with pre-existing known heart disease but the precise nature of the underlying cause of VF is not currently known. Author information: (1)Dept. Drug levels (eg, tricyclic antidepressants, digoxin). Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! Antiarrhythmics for maintaining sinus rhythm after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. Although the ECG findings of Brugada syndrome were first reported[3] among survivors of cardiac arrest in 1989, it was only in 1992 that the Brugada brothers[4] recognised it as a distinct clinical entity, causing sudden death by causing ventricular fibrillation (a lethal arrhythmia) in the heart. All-cause mortality was a secondary end point. However, several classes of drugs may induce AF in patients without apparent heart disease or may precipitate the onset of AF in patients with preexisting heart disease. It is due to disorganized electrical activity. Electronic address: leif.friberg@ki.se. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. The main end point consisted of arrhythmic death, successful resuscitation, new diagnosis of sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation or implantation of ICD. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005049.pub5. Most of the anti-arrhythmic medications also have a pro-arrhythmic effect. Our clinical information is certified to meet NHS England's Information Standard.Read more. Severe metabolic acidosis, hypokalaemia, hyperkalaemia, hypocalcaemia, and hypomagnesaemia are some of the conditions that can increase the risk for arrhythmia and sudden death. Upgrade to Patient Pro Medical Professional? Information provided on this site is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as a substitute for advice from your own medical team. Get the latest research from NIH: https://www.nih.gov/coronavirus. CXR: signs of left heart failure, pulmonary hypertension. 2019 Jun;212:158-159. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2019.03.008. VF is most often associated with coronary artery disease and as a terminal event. This is a study of all patients with diagnosed AF in the Swedish Patient register who filled a prescription for sotalol, amiodarone, dronedarone, flecainide or disopyramide during 2010 to 2015. Cardiac catheterisation in patients who survive VF, to assess the state of ventricular function and severity and extent of coronary artery disease. Patient.info uses cookies to improve your experience and deliver personalised advertising. Ventricular fibrillation results in cardiac arrest with loss of consciousness and no pulse. See the separate articles on Adult Cardiopulmonary Arrest and Defibrillation and Cardioversion. The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. Coronavirus: what are asymptomatic and mild COVID-19? You can opt out at any time or find out more by reading our cookie policy. Comparative clinical outcomes of dronedarone and sotalol in Asian patients with atrial fibrillation: a nationwide cohort study. VF may be due to acute myocardial infarction (MI) or ischaemia, or occur because of a chronic infarction scar. We reviewed the literature on drug-induced AF, using the PubMed/Medline and Micromedex databases and lateral references. Epub 2018 Feb 28. The ventricular muscle fibres contract randomly causing a complete failure of ventricular function. Ventricular fibrillation (VF or V-fib) is the most common initial heart rhythm in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), and the most salvageable one. © Patient Platform Limited. Prognosis for survivors of VF strongly depends on the time elapsed between onset and medical intervention (prognosis is poor without intervention by 4-6 minutes after onset of VF) as well as on the particular aetiology for the VF. Ventricular fibrillation is caused by changes to heart tissue. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. The information on this page is written and peer reviewed by qualified clinicians. Comment in Am Heart J. Mixed treatment comparison of dronedarone, amiodarone, sotalol, flecainide, and propafenone, for the management of atrial fibrillation.