Etymed
ventricular tachycardia
Definition
A cardiac arrhythmia characterized by rapid heartbeats originating from the ventricles
Clinical context
A 65-year-old man presents to the emergency department with palpitations, chest pain, and lightheadedness. His ECG shows wide QRS complexes at a rate of 180 beats per minute with no discernible P waves. He becomes unstable and requires immediate cardioversion. This patient has ventricular tachycardia, a life-threatening arrhythmia originating from the ventricular myocardium.
Mnemonic
Ventricular tachycardia = Ventricular rhythm with wide QRS complexes, often unstable, requiring urgent intervention
These morphemes also unlock…
- ventricul/o — ventricle
- tachy- — fast
- card/o — heart
- -ia — condition