What is Ventricular Tachycardia for an Automated External Defibrillator?

The present algorithm for the treatment of cardiac arrest relies on the paramount difference as to whether the underlying rhythm is shockable or not. Accordingly, only two options exist namely a rhythm in a cardiac arrest patient can be either shockable or not shockable. This exemplification was introduced in the 2000 Guidelines for Cardiac Arrest and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) that overcame the previous classification which considered four main types of rhythms (asystole, pulseless electrical activity - PEA-, ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia) . The last two are those requiring prompt defibrillation.

Since then, this simplified algorithm became a standardized scheme which allowed a more schematic approach. For the treatment of ventricular tachycardia it is apparent that this rhythm may undergo an electrical defibrillation only in presence of a pulseless condition which cannot be detected by any kind of defibrillator. Indeed ventricular tachycardia may need prompt defibrillation in case of pulseless rhythms but may require synchronized electrical cardioversion when the patient is hemodynamically unstable but is not in cardiac arrest.  Read more.................