Sudden cardiac death and ventricular arrhythmias

Ventricular arrythmias range from asymptomatic ventricular ectopy to sustained ventricular tachycardia and cardiac arrest. They are common and are usually benign, at least in those with a structurally normal heart. In patients with structural heart disease (e.g. coronary artery disease), ventricular arrhythmia is an adverse prognostic factor associated with cardiac arrest and death. Cardiac arrest is usually due to ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, but may also be due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Brugada syndrome, long QT syndrome and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy. In this contribution, we cover the diagnosis and management of sustained ventricular tachycardia and non-sustained ventricular arrythmias.