What is a ventricular arrhythmia?
A person with a ventricular arrhythmia has an abnormal heart rate or abnormal heart rhythm. An electrical impulse stimulates the muscle fibers in the heart to contract in a very organized manner. Any abnormality or disturbance in the impulse can result in a cardiac arrhythmia. A ventricular arrhythmia is caused by abnormal electrical impulses in the lower chambers of the heart, called the ventricles. Images

What are the symptoms of a ventricular arrhythmia?
The most common symptom of ventricular arrhythmia is palpitations. Additional symptoms of a ventricular arrhythmia include chest pain, dizziness, faintness, fainting, difficulty breathing, and excessive sweating.

Race
Most data are inconclusive regarding racial differences and the incidence of VF. Some studies suggest that a greater proportion of coronary deaths were sudden in blacks compared with whites. In a report by Gillum on SCD from 1980-1985, the percentage of CAD deaths occurring out of the hospital and in EDs was found to be higher in blacks than in whites.

Sex
Men have a higher incidence of VF than women (3:1). This ratio generally reflects the higher incidence of CAD in men. Recent evidence suggests that a major sex difference may exist in the mechanism of MI. Basic and observational data point to the fact that men tend to have coronary plaque rupture, whereas women tend to have plaque erosion. Whether this biologic difference accounts for the male predominance of VF is unclear.

Age
The incidence of VF parallels the incidence of CAD, with the peak of VF occurring in people aged 45-75 years. The incidence of VF increases with age in men and women of all races because the prevalence of CAD increases with age. However, the proportion of sudden deaths from CAD decreases with age. In the Framingham Heart Study, the proportion of sudden CAD deaths was 62% in men aged 45-54 years, but this percentage fell to 58% in men aged 55-64 years and to 42% in men aged 65-74 years. According to Kuller, 31% of deaths are sudden in people aged 20-29 years.


How does the doctor treat a ventricular arrhythmia?
Treatment for a ventricular arrhythmia may include medication, a pacemaker, or surgery. Emergency treatment of a serious ventricular arrhythmia requires the application of electrical current to the heart.

Treatment of ventricular arrhythmias
Since coronary artery disease is the most common cause of ventricular arrhythmias, correction of coronary occlusion either by angioplasty or coronary artery bypass is quite common and successful. However, if the ventricle has already been significantly damaged, ventricular arrhythmias may persist. In addition, a significant group of people who have no evidence of coronary artery disease develop a propensity for ventricular arrhythmias. Treatment of ventricular arrhythmias in patients without coexisting cardiac disease is variable and, in some cases, is not required.

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