Pulseless ventricular tachycardia classification

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aisha Adigun, B.Sc., M.D.[2]

Pulseless ventricular tachycardia may as a ventricular tachycardia be classified based on the morphology of the QRS complexes into two subtypes/groups: monomorphic ventricular tachycardia, and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia

Based on the morphology of the QRS complexes, ventricular tachycardia can be grouped into two types:

• In monomorphic ventricular tachycardia the more common form, the rhythm originates from a single focus within the ventricles and the QRS complexs within each lead are identical. This form of ventricular tachycardia is most commonly seen in patients with underlying structural heart diseases.

• In polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, there are multiple ventricular foci with the resultant QRS complexes varying from beat-to-beat. Torsade de Pointes is the most common form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and appears as a cyclical progressive change in the cardiac axis. The most common cause of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia is myocardial ischemia.

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