This page is courtesy of Florida Electrophysiology Associates; The leader in the Southeast United States in complex catheter ablation procedures

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VTach

Ventricular tachycardia is a potentially life threatening heart rhythm disorder originating in the lower chambers of the heart.  This is the rhythm problem we see on TV where a patient is gettng CPR and the paddles are used to restore life.

Ventricular tachycardia or VT is commonly seen in patients with scar tissue in their hearts from previous heart attacks.  In these patients, an implantable defibrillator is commonly used to help prevent sudden death.

In other patients VT can occur in an otherwise relatively normal heart. 

Ablations for ventricular tachycardia are commonly done in patients with defibrillators if they are receiving frequent therapy (ie shocks) from their defibrillator.  Ablation of VT in these patients can decrease or even eliminate the therapy from the ICD and can decrease the risk for the need for medications to the treat abnormal heart rhythms.  Our success rates for VT ablations in patients with ischemic heart disease are approximately 80%.

Ablations of ventricular tachycardia in patients with otherwise normal hearts can be permanently curative of the arrhythmia.  Patients with "normal heart" VT once ablated are considered cured of their VT.  This type of VT is relatively rare but ablation success rates exceeding 90% are often seen in these patients.