Ventricular fibrillation is a process that is characterized by the occurrence of tachyarrhythmia. This suggests that a person has a regular and frequent rhythm - up to 600 per minute. Pathology is accompanied by a drop in pressure, loss of consciousness, pallor, discoloration of the skin, heavy breathing, convulsions, and very often this leads to coronary death. In order to establish such a diagnosis, it is necessary to collect clinical and electrocardiographic data about the patient. When observing the phenomenon, you should immediately perform defibrillation, as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Description
The main sign of ventricular fibrillation is myocardial activity. The process is accompanied by a contraction of the heart with a frequency of about 500-600 per minute. It is preceded by flutter, in which the indicator is 200-300 per minute.
It should be noted that when observing fibrillation, if help is not provided in 5-7 minutes, then the person will die. One frenchthe doctor called this process "delusions of the heart." This is due to the fact that the muscles in the organ contract chaotically, in no way obeying the normal rhythm. Because of this, the heart cannot perform its main function. The brain and myocardium do not receive nutrients and oxygen, as critical heart failure occurs.
Anatomical causes of occurrence
It is important to consider the causes of ventricular fibrillation. As mentioned above, flutter precedes this phenomenon. If you ignore both processes, then a person will experience ventricular asystole. This is a pathology in which contraction does not occur. In this case, it will be difficult for the patient to do anything to help. Fibrillation does not pump blood. This leads to a decrease in pressure, the brain begins to starve and die. In order to prevent such a situation, you need to know exactly the reasons for its occurrence.
To find out the factors that provoke fibrillation and flutter of the ventricles, it is necessary to pay attention to the anatomy of the heart itself. It has four chambers. There are two ventricles and two atria. Due to the impulses that the brain sends, the heart works rhythmically and provides the blood circulation necessary for life. As soon as the signals are disturbed or the way they are perceived changes, the person has a failure. For the appearance of fibrillation, it is necessary that the impulse, instead of its usual route from the brain to the heart, begins to perform a circular motion. Because of this, the myocardiumshrinks randomly. At this point, the muscle does not relax. Within a few minutes, it completely stops working properly.
Provoking factors
Most often, such processes are caused by a malfunction of the atrioventricular node. impulses pass through it. At the moment when scarring occurs with the heart muscle, or there is an effect due to which the signal cannot be received, the first symptoms appear within an hour.
It should be noted that in people who died due to this phenomenon, blood clots were found in the coronary vessels. This is what leads to death.
If we compare flutter and ventricular fibrillation, then at the first event, the rhythmic contraction is more or less visible. And with the second - the cycle of receipt of impulses is irregular. It should be noted that the work of the heart in both cases is inefficient. Often, such pathologies occur in those people who have suffered an acute heart attack. On the electrocardiogram, such patients have a Q wave. This designation indicates that the strongest changes have occurred in the heart, which led to the appearance of fatal arrhythmias in a person.
Patients with impaired function of the electrophysiological type should be regularly examined by a doctor, although serious heart disease is not detected with such factors. This can lead to ventricular fibrillation. The patient's ECG shows a QT interval and is diagnosed with tachycardia.
At risk are people who usedrugs. A cardiologist often needs to be examined by those who have had a heart attack, impaired water-electrolyte metabolism in the body, damaged myocardium. Patients with congenital heart disease, ischemia, cardiomyopathy, and malformation should be cautious. Most often, this syndrome is caused by the penultimate ailment. When performing the strongest physical exertion, it is often she who provokes fibrillation and, as a result, death in young people.
Symptomatics
The first manifestation of atrial and ventricular fibrillation is constant syncope, the causes of which are difficult to determine during diagnosis. They are caused by either extrasystole or tachycardia. This phase, which is manifested by fainting, is not critical, since blood circulation is not disturbed.
With the further development of the phenomenon, not only loss of consciousness occurs, but also convulsions. This is due to the fact that the pumping effect in the heart ceases to function in a person. If the patient is not helped in time, the blood circulation will stop, and clinical death occurs. This phase is already considered difficult.
Symptomatics will be problems with the perception of the world, an unpalpable pulse, uncontrolled bowel movements and urination, lack of pupil movement, their dilation and a blue tint to the skin.
Diagnosis
It should be noted that the most important manifestation of ventricular fibrillation is the lack of breathing and pulsation in the arteries. If a person is not helped in 5 minutes,then pathological changes will occur in the brain, as well as disorders of the nervous system and other internal organs.
ECG readings must be used to make a clinical diagnosis. After the patient has been taken out of a serious condition, various diagnostic procedures should be carried out. This will help to find out the causes of the phenomenon.
Additional tests
Needs cardiac monitoring. Thanks to this, ventricular fibrillation can be detected. On the ECG, rhythmic contractions are visible, as well as anomalies in the work of the heart. It is necessary to take tests for the presence of magnesium, sodium, and also check the state of hormones that affect the myocardium. To understand the dimensions of the heart and large vessels, it is necessary to take an x-ray of the chest region. Your doctor may order an echocardiogram. Thanks to her, valve problems, any problems with contractility, and so on are easily detected. In rare and severe cases, MRI or CT is performed.
First Aid
In ventricular fibrillation, treatment is quite an important aspect. You need to be able to provide emergency care in the shortest possible time, since problems with the work of the heart can lead to death in a matter of seconds. Rhythm cannot recover on its own. Ideally, an emergency defibrillation should be performed, but in the absence of equipment, a hard blow to the chest should be performed. This will eliminate the phenomenon that has arisen.
If the arrhythmia still persists, cardiac massage anddo artificial respiration. In order to perform resuscitation without the necessary equipment, you should put the patient on his back, tilt his head back. The jaw must be pushed forward so that air can freely enter the lungs. If the victim does not breathe, artificial respiration will be required. Its frequency is up to 12 injections every minute. When doing an indirect heart massage, you need to make up to 100 clicks in 60 seconds. In the event that a person tries to bring the patient to life on his own, 2 air injections and 15 pressures on the chest wall should be done. This will be the best way to help. If there are two people, then a ratio of 1 to 5 can be used.
Medical help
Speaking of specialized first aid, it should be noted that it should consist in the use of a defibrillator and special medications. Ideally, a quick ECG reading is needed. This will help ensure that the condition is indeed fibrillation.
