Ventricular Fibrillation - Ventricular Rhythms.
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Description
- The morphologic features are different with this dysrhythmia. No P wave and no QRS complexes. This rhythm presents with a chaotic waveform which reflects the electrical chaos occurring within the heart.
- The heart is not actually beating as we know it. The chaos occurs as a result of small regions of tissue which are independently depolarizing.
- This rapid disorganized electrical activity actually makes the heart appear to quiver in response to this activity. Some have described it as shaking like Jello.
- Fibrillatory waves may be coarse or very fine. This is based upon their size. The longer V Fib occurs, the smaller the waveforms are likely to be.
- (Description continues on next slide)

Description (continued)
- Coarse V Fib is when a majority of the waveforms measure 3 mm or greater
- Fine V Fib is when a majority of the waveforms measure less than 3 mm
- This is absolutely a life-threatening dysrhythmia which requires, immediate, effective, and aggressive care.
- (Follow your local reporting and treatment protocols)
- If your patient is talking to you when you see this on the monitor, then your patient is not in V Fib. Always, check your patient first, but there will likely be a loose or disconnected lead wire or electrode.

Practice Strip

Analyze this tracing using the five steps of rhythm analysis.
Show Answer
- Rhythm: Irregular
- Rate: Unable to determine
- P Wave: absent
- PR interval: absent
- QRS: absent
- Interpretation: Ventricular Fibrillation (Fine)
Authors and Reviewers
Authored by Thomas O'BrienMedically reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Keroes, MD, Cardiology
Last Update: 11/8/2020