Scenario: The electrocardiographic (ECG) rhythm strips in lead V1 shown below are 2 separate alarms from a 68-year-old man admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with respiratory distress. The patient has a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes. The ventricular tachycardia (V-Tach) alarm in strip A occurred soon after the patient was admitted to the ICU. The patient was short of breath (SOB) but was alert and oriented, his heart rate was 150/min, SpO2 90%, and blood pressure 112/68 mm Hg. Several more alarms with a similar ECG pattern occurred with SOB but no vital sign changes, and the alarms subsided once the patient was resting comfortably and his heart rate dropped below 100/min. The second strip (B) occurred just after the patient received a breathing treatment. The nurse noticed that during this alarm, the wide complex tachycardia at the end of...
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
1 July 2020
ECG Puzzler|
July 01 2020
The Complexities of Wide Complex Tachycardias
Michele M. Pelter, PhD, RN;
Michele M. Pelter, PhD, RN
Michele M. Pelter is an assistant professor in the Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco.
Search for other works by this author on:
Teri M. Kozik, PhD, RN, CNS, CCRN;
Teri M. Kozik, PhD, RN, CNS, CCRN
Teri M. Kozik is director of clinical research–academic affairs at St Joseph’s Medical Center, Stockton, California.
Search for other works by this author on:
Salah S. Al-Zaiti, PhD, RN, CRNP;
Salah S. Al-Zaiti, PhD, RN, CRNP
Salah S. Al-Zaiti is an associate professor in the Department of Acute and Tertiary Care Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Search for other works by this author on:
Mary G. Carey, PhD, RN
Mary G. Carey, PhD, RN
Mary G. Carey is director for clinical nursing research, Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, New York.
Search for other works by this author on:
Am J Crit Care (2020) 29 (4): 325–326.
Citation
Michele M. Pelter, Teri M. Kozik, Salah S. Al-Zaiti, Mary G. Carey; The Complexities of Wide Complex Tachycardias. Am J Crit Care 1 July 2020; 29 (4): 325–326. doi: https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2020391
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Short-term Access
Purchase short-term access on a pay-per-article or pay-per-issue basis.
$15 72 - hour single article access $30 7 - day full issue access
150
Views
.svg?versionId=1461)