Which rhythm is typically treated with a defibrillator during cardiac arrest?

Which rhythm is typically treated with a defibrillator during cardiac arrest?

• A. Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)
• B. Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia (pVT)
• C. Asystole
• D. PEA

Answer: (A)

Defibrillation is used in cardiac arrest for rhythms where the heart’s electrical activity is chaotic and not producing a usable heartbeat. In ventricular fibrillation, the ventricles quiver with uncoordinated electrical impulses, so there’s no effective contraction and no blood flow. A high-energy shock can momentarily depolarize the heart to reset the electrical system, giving a chance for a normal rhythm to take over. That’s why this rhythm is treated with defibrillation—the classic shockable scenario in ACLS. Non-shockable rhythms, like asystole and pulseless electrical activity, do not respond to a shock and are managed with CPR and medications instead. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is also treated with defibrillation, but the example here points to ventricular fibrillation as the typical shockable rhythm during cardiac arrest.

Defibrillation is used in cardiac arrest for rhythms where the heart’s electrical activity is chaotic and not producing a usable heartbeat. In ventricular fibrillation, the ventricles quiver with uncoordinated electrical impulses, so there’s no effective contraction and no blood flow. A high-energy shock can momentarily depolarize the heart to reset the electrical system, giving a chance for a normal rhythm to take over. That’s why this rhythm is treated with defibrillation—the classic shockable scenario in ACLS.

Non-shockable rhythms, like asystole and pulseless electrical activity, do not respond to a shock and are managed with CPR and medications instead. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is also treated with defibrillation, but the example here points to ventricular fibrillation as the typical shockable rhythm during cardiac arrest.