Abnormal Heart Rhythm

Ventricular Tachycardia

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Signs and Symptoms

Ventricular tachycardia is a fast heart rate that starts in the ventricles, the heart's lower chambers. It usually results from serious heart disease and often requires prompt or emergency treatment.

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a type of arrhythmia, in which the heart beats at an abnormally fast rate. This may cause the heart to pump less effectively, causing a decrease in blood pressure, which may lead to fainting.

VT can occur as a result of scarring in the heart caused from a previous surgery or diseased heart muscle or cells, which may be found in people with inherited heart defects, such as cardiomyopathy or right ventricular dysplasia.

The "normal" number of heartbeats per minute, called pulse rate varies with age. The heart beats about 140 times a minute in a newborn, compared to 70 times a minute in an older child at rest. Heart rate is not constant, changing in response to many factors, such as activity, fever or fear. In VT, the heart beats too quickly, as fast as 200 -300 beats per minute, which prevents the heart from filling completely with blood and the body from receiving the blood volume it needs to function properly.

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) may cause the following symptoms:

• Palpitations, which can be skipping, fluttering or pounding in the chest
• Fatigue
• Chest pressure or pain
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting, also known as syncope, or near-syncope
• Lightheadedness or dizziness

It is important to note that children may not know how to describe what they are feeling during a period of VT. They may have trouble keeping up with other children or realize they are having "spells" and want to sit down and rest. On occasion, a child may not experience any symptoms at all.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 8, 2007