Wide Complex Tachycardia
April 24th, 2019
Overview
Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is an imminently life-threatening arrhythmia that must be rapidly diagnosed and treated. Supraventricular tachycardia is a more benign arrhythmia that may also present as a wide complex tachycardia when combined with aberrant conduction; this can be difficult to distinguish from VT.
This section includes a list of causes of wide complex tachycardia, as well as a guide to key findings used to distinguish between causes.
Causes of Wide Complex Tachycardia
Regular
- Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia
- Supraventricular tachycardia with aberrant conduction (bundle branch block)
- Supraventricular tachycardia with preexcitation (accessory pathway)
- Pacemaker-mediated tachycardia - atrial tracking or endless loop tachycardia
Irregular
- Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
- Atrial fibrillation with aberrant conduction (bundle branch block)
- Atrial fibrillation with preexcitation (accessory pathway)
Other
- Artefact - due to CPR, shivering, shaking or other movements
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