Ventricular fibrillation is a serious heart disorder that causes abnormal heart rates and can be fatal. For many people with this condition, irregular heartbeat is the first and only sign of coronary artery disease. Ventricular fibrillation (VFib) may be confused with atrial fibrillation (AFib). Both contain irregular heart rhythms but can affect other parts of the heart. AFib is also a symptom of chronic problems, although it can also present severe heart conditions, rather than a life-threatening feature in itself.
Why does it happen?
Electrical stimuli that cause contraction when the human heart beats must follow a specific path to the heart. If there is a problem with the path of this impulse, arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat may occur. When the muscles in the four chambers of the heart tighten, a heartbeat occurs. During the heartbeat, the chamber closes and blood is drained. During the heartbeat, the muscle atrium or smaller upper chamber contracts and fills the relaxed ventricle with blood. The contraction begins when the frozen nodes, a small group of cells in the right atrium, release electric shocks, causing the right and left atrium to contract. The electric shock continues to the atrioventricular nodule, which is the center of the heart. This node is in the path between the atrium and the ventricle. In atrioventricular crystals, the impulse moves through the ventricles and contracts. As a result, blood is pumped from the heart to the body.
What are the symptoms?
The most common sign of ventricular fibrillation is sudden fainting because muscles and brains have stopped receiving blood from the heart. About an hour before ventricular fibrillation, some people may experience the following symptoms of ventricular fibrillation. Dizziness, nausea, chest pain, tachycardia or accelerated heart rate and palpitations.
atrial fibrillation
The left atrium and right atrium form the upper part of the heart, and the left and right ventricles form two lower parts. All four rooms pump blood with their bodies. The two upper chambers, the atrium, contract at an excessively high rate, and the patient develops atrial fibrillation (AFib) in an irregular manner. If the two lower chambers beat and flap irregularly, the patient has ventricular fibrillation (VDib). Both produce irregular heart rhythms. Ventricular fibrillation is caused by faulty electrical shocks. This causes the ventricles to tremble unnecessarily and supplies little blood to the body. The heart ends without an effective heartbeat. Blood circulation stops and blood supply to important organs, including the brain, stops. Patients with ventricular fibrillation generally lose consciousness very quickly and require immediate emergency medical support, including CPR. Using a defibrillator to perform CPR until the heart is impacted and returned to normal rhythm increases the patient's chances of raw money.
Which is more serious, VFib or AFib?
Ventricular fibrillation is more serious than atrial fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation often results in loss of consciousness and death. This is because ventricular arrhythmia is more likely to interfere with blood pumps or weaken the heart's ability to supply oxygen-rich blood to the body. VFib can cause sudden heart death (SCD). SCD can kill a victim within minutes, and it can also occur in a healthy-looking person.
Risk factors
The following risk factors are associated with ventricular fibrillation.
· Previous history of ventricular fibrillation
· a past heart attack
· cardiomyopathy
· Use cocaine or methamphetamine
· a congenital heart disease
· electrocution or other injury that causes heart muscle damage
Heart attacks are the most common cause of ventricular fibrillation.
prevention and treatment
If the doctor determines that ventricular fibrillation is caused by some structural defects in scar tissue or heart due to a heart attack, medication and medical procedures may be recommended to minimize the risk of VFib reoccurring.
1. Medication
Beta blockers are commonly used to prevent sudden cardiac arrest or ventricular fibrillation. It relieves the burden on the heart by making the heart beat more slowly and with less force. It also stabilizes electrical anxiety activity in the heart. Examples include methoprolol, propanolol, thymololol, and atenolol. Angiotensin conversion enzyme (ACE) inhibitors relieve the burden on the heart by opening blood vessels and lowering blood pressure. It can also protect the heart from further damage. Blood tests are needed to ensure that the kidneys are functioning properly before starting this type of drug. There will be additional tests to ensure that the kidneys are still functioning properly about 10 days after treatment begins. Gradually increase capacity over about 3 weeks. Examples of ACE inhibitors include ricinopril, perindopril, and lamifril. Amiodarone (Cordarone) or calcium channel blocker may also be prescribed.
2. Implantable defibrillator (ICD)
This device is placed inside the body. It is designed to correct certain types of arrhythmia or abnormal heartbeats by recognizing them and by releasing electrical shocks, resetting the heart to a normal rhythm.
3. Coronary artery plastic surgery
If coronary artery disease is severe, surgery is required. Angioplasty opens up the coronary arteries. A small wire rises from the patient's groin or arm to the artery and pushes it until it reaches where the blood clots of the coronary artery are. There is a small sausage-shaped balloon at the end of the wire. Insert the balloon into the narrowest part of the artery and then expand to push out the thrombus. A flexible metal mesh called a stent is then placed to keep the corresponding portion of the artery open.
4. Coronary bypass graft (CABG)
Damaged blood vessels are diverted to grafts collected from blood vessels elsewhere in the body. The bypass effectively turns around the blockage of the artery, allowing blood to pass through the heart muscle. Improved blood supply to the heart lowers the risk of ventricular fibrillation.
5. Ventricular tachycardia resection
Catheters are typically inserted through veins in the groin and connected to the heart to correct structural heart problems that cause arrhythmia. The goal is to remove the signal path (of electrical stimulation) so that the heart can beat normally again. Moderation destroys tissue that blocks electrical signals or leaves scars.