The two shockable rhythms are ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT) while the non–shockable rhythms include sinus rhythm (SR), supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), premature ventricualr contraction (PVC), atrial fibrilation (AF) and so on.
There are two types of nonshockable rhythms, pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole.
There are two AED shockable rhythms in an electrical-related cardiac arrest: Ventricular fibrillation. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia.
So what are shockable vs. non shockable heart rhythms? If the AED detects Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) or Ventricular Fibrillation (VF), then it will deliver a shock. If it discovers Asystoleor Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA), the AED will alert the user and say, “No shock advised.”
Asystole is a non-shockable rhythm. Therefore, if asystole is noted on the cardiac monitor, no attempt at defibrillation should be made. High-quality CPR should be continued with minimal (less than five seconds) interruption. CPR should not be stopped to allow for endotracheal intubation.
Sinus Bradycardia: Non-shockable
A heart rate less than 60 beats per minute (BPM). This in a healthy athletic person may be 'normal', but other causes may be due to increased vagal tone from, hypoglycaemia and brain injury with increased intracranial pressure (ICP) as examples.
The two nonshockable rhythms are pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole and the two shockable rhythms are pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrilation. The ECG will distinguish asystole from ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia and pulseless electrical activity.
Asystole isn't a shockable rhythm, and defibrillation may actually make it harder to restart the heart. Defibrillation is only an option if your heart goes from asystole to a shockable rhythm, which is possible when someone with asystole receives effective CPR.
Will an AED always resuscitate someone in cardiac arrest? The AED treats only a heart in ventricular fibrillation (VF), an irregular heart rhythm. In cardiac arrest without VF, the heart doesn't respond to electric currents but needs medications.
In rare cases, SVT can cause sudden death. You might need a shock to the heart if you are having severe symptoms from SVT. Some people with SVT need to take medicines only when an episode of SVT happens.
Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) is a condition where your heart stops because the electrical activity in your heart is too weak to make your heart beat. When your heart stops, you go into cardiac arrest, and you don't have a pulse. PEA is a “nonshockable” heart rhythm, meaning a defibrillator won't correct it.
The most common shockable rhythms associated with cardiac arrest are pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.
Why not shock a PEA Arrest? In a PEA arrest, similar to Asystole, the heart doesn't have the means to use the shock you're sending it because the primary cause has yet to be corrected. Shocking a heart in PEA arrest is like kicking a comatose patient in the abdomen (which we do not recommend).
Ventricular fibrillation is life-threatening and requires prompt treatment. Collapse and sudden cardiac death will follow in minutes unless medical help is provided immediately. If treated in time, ventricular fibrillation can be converted into a normal rhythm by shocking the heart with a device called a defibrillator.
Know the Difference Between PEA and Asystole
Asystole is the flatline reading where all electrical activity within the heart ceases. PEA, on the other hand, may include randomized, fibrillation-like activity, but it does not rise to the level of actual fibrillation.
You will learn about Premature Ventricular Contractions, Ventricular Tachycardia, Ventricular Fibrillation, Pulseless Electrical Activity, Agonal Rhythms, and Asystole. You will learn how to detect the warning signs of these rhythms, how to quickly interpret the rhythm, and to prioritize your nursing interventions.
It almost always refers to either a flatlined electrocardiogram, where the heart shows no electrical activity (asystole), or to a flat electroencephalogram, in which the brain shows no electrical activity (brain death). Both of these specific cases are involved in various definitions of death.
You will need to be able to recognize the four lethal rhythms. Asystole, Ventricle Tachycardia (VT), Ventricle Fibrillation (VF), and Polymorphic Ventricle Tachycardia (Torsade de pointes).
The four arrest rhythms seen are asystole, pulseless electrical activity, ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. These can be divided into non-shockable and shockable rhythms. Non- shockable rhythms include asystole and pulseless electrical activity.
Four rhythms produce pulseless cardiac arrest: ventricular fibrillation (VF), rapid ventricular tachycardia (VT), pulseless electrical activity (PEA), and asystole.
Start CPR if HR <60/min despite oxygenation and ventilation.
The CC are performed during bradycardia to optimize organ perfusion, especially to the heart and brain. Among adults and children undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), CC is indicated only for pulselessness or poor perfusion.
An implantable cardiac defibrillator is a device that monitors your heart rate and delivers a strong electrical shock to restore the heartbeat to normal in the event of tachycardia. Many defibrillators can also function as pacemakers, delivering a weaker shock to correct bradycardia as well.