V Fibrillation Rhythm Strip

Disordered electrical activity causes the heart s lower chambers ventricles to quiver or fibrillate instead of contracting or beating normally.

V fibrillation rhythm strip. If in doubt it is acceptable to deliver a shock. Instead in several areas inside the atria form groups of excitable cells generate electrical impulses that fire simultaneously and spread throughout the atria causing a short circuiting effect see above. The electrical impulses do not travel in an orderly fashion through the atria as with normal conduction sinus rhythm. Ventricular fibrillation v fib or vf is an abnormal heart rhythm in which the ventricles of the heart quiver instead of pumping normally.

Ventricular fibrillation vf is the the most important shockable cardiac arrest rhythm. This rapid and irregular electrical activity renders the ventricles unable to contract in a synchronised manner resulting in immediate loss of cardiac output. Vf figure 24 is a rapid quivering of the ventricular walls that prevents them from pumping. Fine v fib is sometimes mistaken for asystole.

The ventricular motion of vf is not synchronized with atrial contractions. However if the rhythm is asystole defibrillation will be ineffective. The ventricles suddenly attempt to contract at rates of up to 500 bpm. Ventricular fibrillation results in cardiac arrest with loss of consciousness and no pulse.

Ventricular fibrillation or v fib is considered the most serious cardiac rhythm disturbance. Vf can rapidly lead to heart muscle ischemia and there is a high likelihood that it will deteriorate into asystole. This prohibits the heart from pumping blood causing collapse and cardiac arrest. Tachycardia fast heart beat or bradycardia slow heart beat counting pr interval qrs interval qt segment.

Ventricular fibrillation vf and pulseless ventricular tachycardia vt are life threatening cardiac rhythms that result in ineffective ventricular contractions. Ventricular fibrillation is initially found in about 10 of. As the treatments for asystole and ventricular fibrillation are different it is important to differentiate between the two. We are just learning the basics how to recognize atrial flutter a fib v tach v fib pvcs and normal sinus rhythm ex.

Symptoms of both afib and vfib are shortness of breath dizziness nausea and chest pain. Atrial fibrillation is caused by irregular electrical impulses in the atria and ventricular fibrillation is caused by irregular electrical impulses in the ventricles. It is due to disorganized electrical activity. A fib is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm.

I suppose i better know ekg strips backwards and forwards since i want to be a cardiac nurse. The two images show what ventricular fibrillation will look like on an ekg rhythm strip.