Ventricular Fibrillation is a type of heart arrhythmia. When Ventricular Fibrillation affects the heart, the lower heart chambers contract very rapidly and without coordination. This can cause the heart to be unable to pump blood to the rest of the body. This condition is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Ventricular Fibrillation is a common cause of sudden cardiac arrest.
The symptoms of Ventricular Fibrillation are:
Ventricular Fibrillation is caused by either a problem with the electrical properties that control the heart or by a disruption of the blood supply to the heart muscle. In some cases, the cause of Ventricular Fibrillation is not known.
The risk factors for this condition are:
This condition is always diagnosed in an emergency setting. Patients might arrive in sudden death without a pulse. This means that life-saving treatment to get the heart beating again will be the first step that must be taken before a diagnosis can be made.
Blood tests can look for proteins that indicate heart tissue death, and an ECG or EKG will be performed to check the electrical activity in the heart. Chest X-rays might be necessary to look at the size and shape of the heart.
When the patient has stabilised enough to have other diagnosis processes conducted on them, an echocardiogram or a coronary catheterization might be done to look for reasons for the heart’s sudden arrhythmia. Blockages in the arteries or malformation of the heart itself can sometimes lead to this condition.
Treatment of Ventricular Fibrillation is always an emergency, and ER room providers will restore the heart’s normal rhythm right away if possible. CPR can be used to mimic the function of the heart in patients who have gone into cardiac arrest. A defibrillator might be used to shock the heart and attempt to restore the heart’s normal rhythm.
Once the emergency has passed, patients will usually be placed on medications that help to control heart rate. There are also medical devices like pacemakers, which can be surgically implanted to help patients with this condition avoid heart arrhythmia in the future.
Some patients benefit from cardiac ablation, which uses heat or cold to create tiny scars in the heart which block irregular heart signals. Coronary angioplasty and stents can also be used to prevent heart attacks which might have led to the episode of Ventricular Fibrillation. In severe cases, coronary bypass surgery will be necessary to provide major surgical intervention to restore the function of the heart.
Prevention of Ventricular Fibrillation is not always possible. This condition can happen spontaneously in patients who are otherwise healthy. However, eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise can greatly reduce your chances of heart health issues. Quitting smoking, not drinking alcohol in excess and managing your weight to avoid obesity can go a long way toward improving your overall heart health. You should get regular check-ups with your doctor if you have a history of heart disease in your family.
In some cases, Ventricular Fibrillation can be triggered by severe stress or sleeping disorders. These conditions can be managed through meditation and practices like yoga. Your doctor might also be able to prescribe medication to help you to sleep better.