Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia: Terminology, Mechanism, Diagnosis, and Emergency Therapy
Sami Viskin, Ehud Chorin, Dana Viskin, Aviram Hochstadt, Arie Lorin Schwartz, Raphaël Rosso
Abstract
Polymorphic ventricular tachyarrhythmias are highly lethal arrhythmias. Several types of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia have similar electrocardiographic characteristics but have different modes of therapy. In fact, medications considered the treatment of choice for one form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, are contraindicated for the other. Yet confusion about terminology, and thus diagnosis and therapy, continues. We present an in-depth review of the different forms of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and propose a practical step-by-step approach for distinguishing these malignant arrhythmias.
Topics & Concepts
MedicineConfusionVentricular tachycardiaCardiologyTachycardiaTerminologyInternal medicineElectrocardiographyIntensive care medicinePhilosophyPsychologyLinguisticsPsychoanalysisCardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmiasCardiac Arrhythmias and TreatmentsIon channel regulation and function