Ventricular Tachycardia

What is Ventricular Tachycardia?

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is an arrhythmia originating from the pumping chambers of the heart, or “ventricles”. Several types of VT are amenable to catheter-based ablation therapy. Younger healthy patients may develop VT termed “idiopathic” implying that small regions of ventricular tissue become hyperactive inducing VT in an otherwise structurally normal heart . These tachycardias may come from either the left or right ventricle. Ablation success for these types of VT is generally very good.

VT and Heart Attacks

Ventricular tachycardia may also occur as a complication of prior heart attack.  In these situations, dense areas of scar may allow VT to occur in the ventricle as an arrhythmia circuit.  Catheter based ablation of this type of VT is usually well tolerated and helpful in eliminating ventricular tachycardias unresponsive to medical therapy.