Unstable Tachycardia
Aka: Unstable Tachycardia, Unstable Tachyarrhythmia

  1. See Also
    1. Guidelines 2000 CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care
  2. Signs
    1. Rapid Heart Rate
    2. Poor Perfusion
  3. Differential Diagnosis
    1. Pulseless Electrical Activity
    2. Narrow Complex Tachycardia
      1. Irregular Supraventicular Tachycardia
        1. Atrial Fibrillation
      2. Regular Supraventricular Tachycardia
        1. Sinus Tachycardia (rarely >150 in adults)
        2. Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT)
        3. Atrial Flutter
          1. Atrial rate: 300 bpm
          2. Ventricular rate most commonly 2:1 = 150 bpm
    3. Wide Complex Tachycardia
      1. Ventricular Tachycardia
      2. Supraventricular Tachycardia with aberrancy
  4. Management (Same initial approach for all ages)
    1. ABC Management
    2. Mnemonic: IV-O2-Monitor
      1. Obtain IV Access
      2. Oxygen Delivery
      3. Cardiopulmonary monitor
    3. Additional evaluation
      1. Vital signs
      2. History
      3. Exam
      4. Electrocardiogram
      5. Chest XRay
    4. If signs of immediate failure present:
      1. Pulse Present and NOT Sinus Tachycardia
        1. Prepare for immediate Synchronized Cardioversion
        2. Brief trial of medications if no delay
      2. Pulse Absent
        1. Asystole
        2. Pulseless Electrical Activity
        3. Ventricular Tachycardia
        4. Ventricular Fibrillation
    5. Assess QRS Duration
      1. IF QRS Duration normal (<0.08 s)
        1. Narrow Complex Tachycardia
      2. IF QRS Duration wide (>0.08 s)
        1. Wide Complex Tachycardia
  5. References
    1. (2000) Circulation, 102(Suppl I):86-9
    2. http://www.circulationaha.org
Tachyarrhythmia (C0080203)
Concepts Pathologic Function (T046)
MSH D013610
English Tachyarrhythmia, Tachyarrhythmias, tachyrhythmia
Spanish taquiarritmia
Parent Concepts Tachycardia (C0039231), Conduction disorder of the heart (C0264886)
Sources AOD , CSP, MSH, SCTSPA, SNOMEDCT
Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)
Tachycardia (C0039231)
Definition (MSH) Abnormally rapid heartbeat, usually with a HEART RATE above 100 beats per minute for adults. Tachycardia accompanied by disturbance in the cardiac depolarization (cardiac arrhythmia) is called tachyarrhythmia.
Definition (CSP) excessive rapidity in the action of the heart.
Definition (NCI) Tachycardia; an abnormally rapid heartbeat, usually applied to a heart rate above 100 per minute.
Concepts Pathologic Function (T046)
ICD9 785.0, 785.0
MSH D013610
English Heart rate fast, HEART RATE INCREASED, HEARTBEATS INCREASED, Increased heart rate, Increased pulse rate, Pulse fast, PULSE RATE INCREASED, Rapid heart beat, RAPID HEART RATE, RAPID HEARTBEAT, Rapid pulse, Tachycardia, Tachycardia - pulse, Tachycardias
Spanish frecuencia cardiaca aumentada, frecuencia del pulso aumentada, frecuencia del pulso incrementada, latidos cardiacos rapidos, taquicardia, taquisfigmia
Parent Concepts cardiac arrhythmia (C0003811), Tachycardia (C0039231), Signs and Symptoms (C0037088), Symptoms involving cardiovascular system (C0159049), Cardiovascular System Signs and Symptoms (C1332855), Abnormal pulse rate (C0277901), [D]Cardiovascular system symptoms (C0476270), Finding of heart rate (C0577802)
Sources AOD , COSTAR, CSP, CST, DXP, ICD9CM, LCH, MEDLINEPLUS, MSH, MTH, MTHICD9, NCI, NDFRT, OMIM, QMR, SCTSPA, SNOMEDCT
Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)

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