Multiple causes are associated with the development of ventricular fibrillation, including heart attacks, disorders, diseases, or trauma. It is a serious heart condition that can quickly become life-threatening.
What Is an Arrhythmia?
To understand what ventricular fibrillation is, we must first understand what a cardiac arrhythmia is. This term refers to any irregularity in the heart’s rhythm, which may include a heart rate that is too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregular (fibrillation).
What Is Ventricular Fibrillation?
Fibrillation is a general term used to describe any arrhythmia with an irregular heartbeat, and it is divided into two subtypes: atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation.
While atrial fibrillation involves irregular contractions of the atria, ventricular fibrillation occurs when the ventricles experience those contractions.
This condition can lead to a sudden and severe drop in the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively, with potentially fatal consequences if not treated immediately.
Common Causes of Ventricular Fibrillation:
- Coronary artery disease: Characterized by plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. It is one of the most frequent causes of ventricular fibrillation.
- Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack): Also known as AMI, this condition can trigger fibrillation. During a heart attack, the lack of oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle can lead to electrical dysfunction and fibrillation.
- Structural heart disease: Conditions such as cardiomyopathy or congenital heart anomalies increase the risk of developing ventricular fibrillation.
- Electrochemical imbalances: A disruption in essential electrolytes can interfere with the heart’s normal electrical signals.
- Cardiac trauma: Direct injuries to the heart, whether from blunt or penetrating trauma, can trigger ventricular fibrillation as a response to electrical activity disruption.
When discussing arrhythmia symptoms—particularly those of ventricular fibrillation—patients may experience:
- Sudden fainting or loss of consciousness due to abrupt interruption of blood flow.
- No detectable pulse, signaling a severe medical emergency.
- Rapid or irregular palpitations in the chest, although this can also occur in other heart conditions.
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing from decreased heart pumping capacity.
- Occasional chest pain may also be present.
Acute Myocardial Infarction and Ventricular Fibrillation
As previously mentioned, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ventricular fibrillation are often related, though they are different conditions.
Ventricular fibrillation is a severe arrhythmia where the ventricles fail to pump the blood needed for proper body function due to rapid, irregular contractions. If not restored promptly, this can lead to sudden loss of cardiac function and cardiac arrest.
On the other hand, AMI occurs when part of the heart muscle dies or is damaged due to an inadequate blood supply, often caused by a coronary artery blockage from plaque buildup.
If AMI affects the heart’s ventricles, it can be an underlying cause of ventricular fibrillation.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the primary tools used to diagnose this condition in time for effective treatment.
At the ABC Medical Center’s Arrhythmia Clinic, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
Fuentes:
MedlinePlus, MAPFRE, MSD Manuals
