Ventricular Fibrillation
Ventricular fibrillation is a type of heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia) that prevents the heart from pumping blood properly. It should be noted that the ventricles are the two lower chambers that are part of the heart muscle.
Ventricular fibrillation occurs when electrical impulses in the heart conduct rapidly and erratically, causing the ventricles to quiver (fibrillate) instead of properly pumping blood throughout the sufferer’s body.
Without early medical care, ventricular fibrillation can be fatal. In fact, it is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death.
Symptoms of Ventricular Fibrillation
Fainting or loss of consciousness is the most common symptom of ventricular fibrillation. In addition, sufferers of this condition will also stop breathing or appear to be gasping. However, before there is a decrease in consciousness and gasping, ventricular fibrillation can cause early symptoms, such as:
- Chest pain.
- Very fast heartbeat (tachycardia).
- Dizzy.
- Nauseous.
- Hard to breathe.
These early symptoms may occur an hour or less before fainting or loss of consciousness occurs. In addition, it is important to remember that ventricular fibrillation can lead to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which requires immediate medical attention. Signs of cardiac arrest include:
- Loss of responsiveness (no response to a tap on the shoulder).
- No normal breathing (no breathing or just gasping).
Therefore, if you suspect someone is having cardiac arrest based on these symptoms, immediately seek emergency medical help so that treatment can be carried out immediately.
Causes of Ventricular Fibrillation
Until now, the exact cause of ventricular fibrillation is unknown. However, one of the most common causes is a disturbance in the electrical current that occurs in the heart after someone has had a heart attack at a previous time. In addition, this condition can also occur due to other problems that cause the formation of scar tissue in the heart muscle due to a previous heart attack.
Ventricular fibrillation can sometimes also be preceded by a very fast heartbeat known as ventricular tachycardia. This rapid, but continuous, heart pumping is caused by an abnormal electrical current that begins in the ventricles. Most cases of ventricular fibrillation are associated with a history of previous heart problems.
Risk Factors of Ventricular Fibrillation
There are several factors that can also increase a person’s risk of experiencing ventricular fibrillation, including:
- History of previous episodes of ventricular fibrillation.
- Previous history of heart disease.
- Congenital heart defects.
- Heart muscle disorder (cardiomyopathy).
- Injuries that have the potential to cause heart muscle damage, such as electric shock.
- Use of illegal drugs, such as cocaine or methamphetamine.
- Electrolyte imbalance in the body, such as magnesium or potassium.
Diagnosis of Ventricular Fibrillation
Ventricular fibrillation is an emergency condition that needs to be treated immediately. That is why detecting ventricular fibrillation as early as possible is very important. Ventricular fibrillation can be detected through a pulse check or a heart monitor. The heartbeat of a person with ventricular fibrillation will not be palpable and the results of the heart monitor will show very fast electrical movements of the heart or even no movement at all.
Additional tests may also need to be done to find out what is causing the ventricular fibrillation, including:
- Blood tests – to check for leakage of heart enzymes into the blood caused by heart damage from a heart attack.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) – to record and examine the heart’s electrical impulses. A damaged heart will show abnormal electrical impulses and indicate a heart attack.
- Echocardiogram – to get an image of the heart using sound waves.
- Angiogram – to find out if there is a blockage in the blood vessels leading to the heart (coronary) by injecting a special dye into a catheter that is installed from the leg to the heart. The journey of the substance in the blood vessels will later be seen via X-ray.
- Chest X-ray – to get an image of the heart, its size, and blood vessels.
- CT scan or MRI – to check if there are other heart disorders through a clearer picture of the heart.
- Stress test – where the heart will be monitored while a person exercises.
Complications of Ventricular Fibrillation
Without early detection and treatment, ventricular fibrillation can be life-threatening. In addition, the rapid and erratic heartbeat causes the heart to suddenly stop pumping blood to the body. Blood pressure drops suddenly and significantly. The longer the body is deprived of blood, the greater the risk of damage to the brain and other organs.
In addition, several other complications can also occur due to ventricular fibrillation, namely:
- Ischemic injury to the central nervous system.
- Skin burns due to defibrillation procedures.
- Injuries resulting from CPR procedures.
Ventricular Fibrillation Treatment
If your doctor finds that your ventricular fibrillation is caused by changes in the structure of your heart, they will recommend medications or medical procedures to reduce your risk of future ventricular fibrillation. For example, due to scarring after a heart attack.
Some treatment options to prevent recurrence of ventricular fibrillation:
1. Use of Drugs
Doctors will prescribe various antiarrhythmic drugs that aim to prevent the occurrence of irregular heart rhythms. One class of drugs that can be prescribed by doctors is beta blockers, which are commonly used in individuals at risk of ventricular fibrillation.
2. Defibrillator Implantation
Once the patient’s condition is stable, the doctor may recommend installing an implantable defibrillator to monitor the heart rhythm. If the heart rhythm is deemed too slow, the device can send electrical signals to stimulate the heart.
3. Coronary Angioplasty and Stent Placement
This procedure is intended to treat severe coronary heart disease. The technique is to open blocked blood vessels to facilitate blood flow to the heart muscle.
Ventricular Fibrillation Prevention
You can’t completely prevent ventricular fibrillation. However, there are some healthy habits you can adopt to reduce your risk and severity. Here are some of these habits, including:
- Eat healthy and nutritionally balanced food every day.
- Keep your body active, such as by walking 30 minutes per day.
- If you smoke, start thinking about quitting. Smoking can affect the flexibility of your heart arteries and overall cell health. Maintaining a healthy weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels can also help prevent heart problems, such as ventricular fibrillation.
Additionally, if you have a close family member, such as a parent, sibling, or child with a congenital heart condition, talk to your doctor about genetic screening. Identifying congenital heart problems early can help determine preventive measures and reduce the risk of complications.
When to See a Doctor?
If you or someone around you experiences symptoms of ventricular fibrillation such as loss of consciousness, you should seek emergency medical help immediately. Also, see a heart specialist immediately if you often experience heart rhythm disturbances. For example, a very fast, pounding, or slow heartbeat.
