How to name a ventricular tachycardia ?
This continues to be a favorite past & present time of modern-day cardiologists. Especially , VTs associated with structurally normal heart suffers with this protracted problem .Widespread use of EP study has not solved the issue as yet.
The VTs that arise from the left ventricle in an apparently normal heart has been referred by various terms.
- VT with structurally normal heart
- Idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia
- Verapamil sensitive VT
- Septal VT (It can be either myocardial /non myocardial origin)
- Narrow qrs VT
- Fasicular VT
- LVOT tachycardia
- Hemodynamically stable VT
- Belhassen VT
Now we have still more exotic VTs like Cuspal , mitral annular , etc . All of the above can mean anything , or same thing in different centers , different cardiologists in different times .
* RVOT tachycardias also have many synonyms.( Adenosine sensitive, Adrenergic, Gallavardin, Parkinson Pop, etc )
VTs associated with CAD , valvular , myocardial diseases generally devoid of nomenclature problems. Ischemic VT is yet to be classified in a proper fashion.
The confusion in classifying VT is not due to the complexity of heart disease. It is due to the general comprehension failure as every VT can be described with reference to clinical , ECG morphology, hemodynamics and presence or absence of underlying heart disease. A simplified and clinically useful VT classification is being prepared in this forum .Will be published shortly .
Dr.S.Venkatesan MD 