Do you Cardiovert or defibrillate v tach?

Ventricular tachycardia (v-tach) typically responds well to defibrillation. This rhythm usually appears on the monitor as a wide, regular, and very rapid rhythm. Ventricular tachycardia is a poorly perfusing rhythm; patients may present with or without a pulse.

Can we defibrillate the patient with pulseless VT?

Pulseless VT is a medical emergency that requires immediate defibrillation. The energy of 150-200 J on biphasic and 360 J on monophasic defibrillator should be used. Delaying defibrillation of pulseless VT dramatically decreases the survival rate.

What are three differences between defibrillation and cardioversion?

There is an important distinction between defibrillation and cardioversion: Defibrillation — Defibrillation is the asynchronous delivery of energy, such as the shock is delivered randomly during the cardiac cycle. Cardioversion — Cardioversion is the delivery of energy that is synchronized to the QRS complex.

Do you Cardiovert pulseless v tach?

Defibrillation or unsynchronized cardioversion is indicated in any patient with pulseless VT/VF or unstable polymorphic VT, where synchronized cardioversion is not possible. Synchronized cardioversion is utilized for the treatment of persistent unstable tachyarrhythmia in patients without loss of pulse.

When should you not use synchronized cardioversion?

For cases where electrical shock is needed, if the patient is unstable, and you can see a QRS-t complex use (LOW ENERGY) synchronized cardioversion. If the patient is pulseless, or if the patient is unstable and the defibrillator will not synchronize, use (HIGH ENERGY) unsynchronized cardioversion (defibrillation).

Which rhythms do you Cardiovert?

Cardioversion can correct many types of fast or irregular heart rhythms, including:

• Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter (the most common conditions providers treat with cardioversion).
• Atrial tachycardia.
• Ventricular tachycardia.
• Ventricular fibrillation.

Why is pulseless VT shockable?

Shockable Rhythm: Pulseless V-tach V-tach is a poorly perfusing rhythm and patients may present with or without a pulse. Most patients with this rhythm are pulseless and unconscious and defibrillation is necessary to reset the heart so that the primary pacemaker (usually the SA node) can take over.

What is the initial treatment response for a patient in either pulseless ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation?

Ventricular Fibrillation/Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia. The most critical interventions during the first minutes of VF or pulseless VT are immediate bystander CPR (Box 1) with minimal interruption in chest compressions and defibrillation as soon as it can be accomplished (Class I).

What are the 4 shockable rhythms?

The four arrest rhythms seen are asystole, pulseless electrical activity, ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. These can be divided into non-shockable and shockable rhythms. Non- shockable rhythms include asystole and pulseless electrical activity.

What are the two shockable rhythms?

The two shockable rhythms are ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT) while the non–shockable rhythms include sinus rhythm (SR), supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), premature ventricualr contraction (PVC), atrial fibrilation (AF) and so on.

What is the protocol for pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation?

Ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia are treated using the left branch of the cardiac arrest arrest algorithm. Many of the patients that experience sudden cardiac arrest demonstrate VF at some point in their arrest, therefore, training emphasis is placed on the cardiac arrest algorithm.

What rhythms require synchronized cardioversion?

Synchronized cardioversion is used to treat other arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial flutter, and stable ventricular tachycardia when medications have failed to convert the rhythm, or when the patient is becoming unstable and the rhythm must be immediately terminated.