Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)

Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the most important cardiac arrest rhythm. The ventricles suddenly attempt to contract at a rate of up to 500 beats / minute. Rapid and irregular electrical activity causes the ventricles to become inoperable synchronously, leading to sudden cardiac output loss.

Ventricular Fibrillation / VF is the most common arrhythmia in cardiac arrest patients and requires Emergency Life Support. Irreversible brain damage develops if the patient cannot be resuscitated in a short time (about 5 minutes at room temperature). The patient should be monitored and applied defibrillation as soon as possible. Ventricular Fibrillation / VF is the most common cause of myocardial infarction (MI). The risk of recurrence is low after the acute ischemic episode. Therefore, early treatment is life-saving. In crowded places where sudden deaths are common, such as airports, shopping malls, sports halls, the introduction of automatic external defibribrilators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation trainings improve survival.

Characteristics of ventricular fibrillation ECG: Velocity, rhythm, and PQRST parameters cannot be measured (due to the absence of measurable waveforms). The ECG trace is characterized by continuous, rapid, chaotic and completely irregular wave deflections, varying in height, width, and shape, showing tremors in the ventricles.

Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia

Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is defined by several criteria. First, the heart rate is usually greater than 180 BPM per minute and the rhythm usually has a very large QRS complex. Second, the patient heart rhythm is pulseless. Third, the rhythm originates from the ventricles. All Ventricular Tachycardias are not pulseless. Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia occurs because there is no cardiac output and because the ventricles cannot effectively pump blood from the heart. If not intervened on time, most of tachyarrhythmias turn to pulseless tachyarrhythmias.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – CPR

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is a first aid method to bring the person back to life in cases of sudden cardiac arrest or inability to breathe. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is an abbreviation of “CPR”

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation – CPR is the process of restoring the patient’s heart and recover to respiratory functions. The loss of consciousness, which occurs a few seconds after the heart and circulation stops, causes the brain functions to slowly regress. In order to recovering the heart and breathing, the blood to continue the brain massage and breathing process is done. These procedures are called ‘cardiopulmonary resuscitation ” or “CPR”

In adult patients, the compression depth should be between 4cm and 5cm for cardiac massage. It should be applied as 100 prints per minute. The use of assistive devices is recommended for more effective and uninterrupted cardiac massage.

If you have an automatic defibrillator (AED defibrillator) on your place, ask for it to be brought immediately. When the automatic defibrillator arrives, Follow the voice commands of the automatic defibrillator. Stick the pads to the patient’s bare chest and do not touch the patient during the analysis. If shock is recommended, make sure no one touches the patient. Press the SHOCK button for the semi-automatic defibrillator device, do not touch the patient until a shock is applied for fully automatic defibrillator device. After defibrillation, start cardiac massage immediately.

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