Ventricular Fibrillation

What Is Ventricular Fibrillation?

Ventricular fibrillation (v-fib) is a type of abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) where the lower heart chambers move in a very quick and uncoordinated manner. This life-threatening condition affects the heart’s ability to pump blood to the rest of the body. V-fib is an emergency that requires immediate medical care.

Ventricular Fibrillation Symptoms

Collapse and loss of consciousness are the most common symptoms of v-fib. Just before going into v-fib, people may experience any of these symptoms:

• Racing or erratic pulse (including other types of arrhythmias)
• Chest pain (angina)
• Heart palpitations (feelings of having a fast, fluttering or pounding heartbeat)
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Nausea

Ventricular Fibrillation Causes

Cause of ventricular fibrillation include:

• Heart attack or ischemia
• Cardiomyopathy and other conditions that change the structure of the heart.
• Other arrhythmias or arrhythmia-causing conditions.
• Congenital (present at birth) heart issues such as Brugada syndrome
• Heart surgery
• Certain medications
• Certain illegal drug, including cocaine and methamphetamine
• Electrolyte imbalances (for example, too little or too much potassium or magnesium in your blood)
• Electrical shock
• Commotio cordis — a rare disruption of heart rhythm caused by getting hit in the chest with a small, fast-moving object, such as a baseball or hockey puck.

Ventricular Fibrillation Diagnosis

A healthcare provider can confirm a v-fib with an electrocardiogram (EKG), especially after resuscitating someone from cardiac arrest. They can also diagnose v-fib during cardiac arrest if a patient is on a cardiac monitor or has an implanted cardiac device.

If you have v-fib, a healthcare provider will take your medical history and perform a physical exam. They may order additional tests, including blood tests, an EKG, a cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or a coronary angiogram with a cardiac catheterization.

Ventricular Fibrillation Treatment

V-fib a life-threatening medical emergency. The following actions can help save the life of someone who’s in sudden cardiac arrest because of v-fib:

• Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.
• If the person is unconscious, check for a pulse.
• If no pulse is detected, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to help blood flow through the body until an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available. The American Heart Association recommends hands-only chest compressions. Push hard and quick on the person's chest (about 100 to 120 times a minute). You don’t have to check the person's airway or provide rescue breaths. Continue chest compressions until emergency medical help arrives.
• Use an AED: Ventricular fibrillation is considered a “shockable” arrhythmia, meaning an AED can help return the heart’s rhythm to normal. When someone uses an AED in the first three minutes after a person collapses because of v-fib, the survival rate is very high.

After someone survives a v-fib incident, they are at higher risk of v-fib occurring again. Your healthcare provider will order tests to find out what caused it and will determine what follow-up treatments can prevent it from happening again.