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Wide complex tachycardias
ICD-10 I47.2
ICD-9 427.1
DiseasesDB 13819
MeSH D017180

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Synonyms and keywords: WCT; fast and wide; wide and fast; wide-complex tachycardia; wide complex rhythm; SVT with aberrancy; SVT with aberrant conduction; supraventricular tachycardia with aberrancy; VT versus SVT

Overview

Wide complex tachycardia is defined as a cardiac rhythm of more than 100 beats per minute with a QRS duration of 120 milliseconds or more. It is critical to differentiate whether the wide complex tachycardia is of ventricular origin and is ventricular tachycardia, or if it is of supraventricular origin with aberrant conduction. Differentiating between these two cause of the wide complex tachycardia is critical because the treatment options are quite different for VT versus SVT with abberancy. Wide complex tachycardia will be due to VT in 80% of cases and will be due to VT in 98% of cases if there's a history of either acute MI or structural heart disease. Only 7% of patients with SVT will have had a prior myocardial infarction (MI).

Causes

A wide complex tachycardia (WCT) can be due to either:

Ventricular Tachycardia

Supraventricular Tachycardia

Findings Suggestive of VT

History of Ischemic Heart Disease

A history of ischmeic heart disease or structural heart disease suggests VT. Wide complex tachycardia will be due to VT in 80% of cases and will be due to VT in 98% of cases if there's a history of either acute MI or structural heart disease.


The Presence of AV Dissociation

Although AV dissociation is highly suggestive of VT, it may also be seen in junctional tachycardias with retrograde block.

Example: Shown below is a wide complex tachycardia. AV dissociation is present as shown by the varying morphology highlighted by the red arrows. LBBB configuration. Absence of RS in the chest leads. The diagnosis is VT.

Example: Shown below is a wide complex tachycardia. AV dissociation is present as shown by the varying morphology highlighted by the red arrows. LBBB configuration. Absence of RS in the chest leads. The diagnosis is VT.


Duration of the QRS Complex

  • A wide complex tachycardia with a RBBB morphology and a QRS > .14, or a LBBB morphology with a QRS > .16 suggests VT

Morphology of the QRS Complexes

  • The finding of a positive or negative QRS complex in all precordial leads is in favor of ventricular tachycardia.
  • A monophasic or biphasic RBBB QRS complex in V1. But none of their patients with SVT had a preexisting RBBB. Therefore, this finding is of limited importance. (A Wellens criterion)
  • 80 to 85% of aberrant beats have a RBBB pattern, but ectopic beats that arise from the LV have a similar morphology.
  • LBBB with a rightward axis
  • LBBB with the following QRS morphology
    1. R wave in V1 or V2 > 0.03 second
    2. any Q wave in V6
    3. Onset of the QRS to nadir of the S wave in V1 > 0.06 seconds
    4. Notching of the S wave in V1 or V2
Morphological criteria
LBBB pattern
Initial R more than 40ms? Yes => VT
Slurred or notched downwards leg of S wave in leads V1 or V2 Yes => VT
Beginning of Q to nadir QS >60 ms in V1 or V2? Yes => VT LR >50:1
Q or QS in V6? Yes => VT LR >50:1
RBBB pattern
Monofasic R or qR in V1? Yes => VT
R taller than R' (rabbit-ear sign)? Yes => VT LR >50:1
rS in V6? Yes => VT LR >50:1

Morphology of Premature Beats During Sinus Rhythm

Example: Shown below is a wide complex tachycardia. There is no AV dissociation. A RBBB morphology is present. The wide complex tachycardia resembles sinus rhythm from the same patient. The diagnosis in this patient is SVT with RBBB:

Shown below is the ECG from the same patient as above in sinus rhythm. The QRS complex is very similiar to that during the wide complex tachycardia:


The QRS Axis

The image below illustrates the "Northwest axis"also known as "Extreme Right Axis" or "No Man's Land":


Capture Beats

  • Rare, but one of the strongest pieces of evidence in favor of VT.
  • SVT with aberrancy rarely follows a beat with a short cycle length.

Fusion Beats

Fusion beats are rare, but strongly suggests VT.


Vagal Manuevers

  • VT is generally not affected by vagal stimulation.
  • May terminate reentrant arrhythmias

Atrial pacing

  • A pacing wire is placed in the RA and the atrium is stimulated at a rate faster than the tachycardia.
  • If ventricular capture occurs and the QRS is normal in duration, then one can exclude the possibility of aberrant conduction.

Onset of the Tachycardia

  • Diagnosis of SVT made if the episode is initiated by a premature P wave.
  • If the paroxysm begins with a QRS then the tachycardia may be either ventricular or junctional in origin.
  • If the first QRS of the tachycardia is preceded by a sinus p wave with a PR interval shorter than that of the conducted sinus beats, the tachycardia is ventricular.

His Bundle Recording

  • In SVT, each QRS is preceded by a His bundle potential.
  • In VT there is no preceding His deflection.
  • The retrograde His deflection is usually obscured by the much larger QRS complex.

Regularity of the Rhythm

Regular

  • VT (slight irregularity of RR)
  • SVT with aberrancy: Sinus, atrial tachycardia (AT), or Flutter.
  • Antidromic atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT)

Irregular

  • The first 50 beats of VT can be irregular
  • SVT with aberrancy: Atrial fibrillation, multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT)
  • Atrial fibrillation with bypass tract usch as WPW is a dangerous cause of a very rapid irregular rhythm as the atrial rate is conducted rapidly over the bypass tract. Shown below is the tracing of a patient with atrial fibrillation conducting down the bypass tract in WPW. Note that the rate is extremely rapid, and the rhythm is irregularly irregular. It is critical that this rhythm be recognized to avoid the administration of agents that would further accelerate conduction down the accessory pathway in this patient with WPW which could cause degeneration into ventricular fibrillation. The best treatment for this patient is Pronestyl 15mg/kg load over 30 minutes then 2-6mg/min gtt or DC cardioversion:

  • The mechanism of SVT with aberrancy is usually concealed retrograde conduction. The ventricular beat penetrates the right branch (RB) or left branch (LB). When the next supraventricular activation front occurs that bundle is refractory and if conduction can occur, it will proceed down the other bundle. Since the RB has a longer refractory period than the LB, a right bundle branch block (RBBB) morphology is more common.
  • Other mechanisms of “rate related aberrancy” are preexisting bundle branch block (BBB), physiologic (phase 3) aberration and use dependent aberration secondary to medication. In physiologic aberration, the stimulus comes to the His-Purkinje system before it has fully recovered from the previous stimulus. The ensuing activation is either blocked or conducts slowly. Again, the RB is the one more at risk. Most commonly seen at the onset of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), but can become sustained.
  • In use-dependent aberration, a patient on and anti-arrhythmic (especially class Ic agents) will have a progressive decrement in ventricular conduction rate the more it is stimulated. During faster heart rates, less time is available for the drug to dissociate from the receptor and an increased number of receptors are blocked.

The R Wave Peak Time

In 2010 Joseph Brugada et al. published a new criterion to differentiate VT from SVT in wide complex tachycardias: the R wave peak time (RWPT) in Lead II.[1] To aplly the criteria, the duration of onset of the QRS to the first change in polarity (either nadir Q or peak R) is measured in lead II as shown below. If the RWPT is ≥ 50ms the likelihood of a VT very high (positive likelihood ratio 34.8). This criterion was successful in their own population of 163 selected patients and is awaiting prospective testing in a larger trial.

Example: As shown below, an R-wave to Peak Time (RWPT) of ≥ 50ms in lead II strongly suggests VT:


Mark E. Josephson Criteria

  • In a wide complex tachycardia with right bundle branch block (RBBB) morphology with normal or inferior axis, VT is associated with an R/S ratio may be >1, and SVT with an R/S ratio <1
  • If the QRS during the wide complex tachycardia is narrower than in normal sinus rhythm (NSR), this suggests VT

Algorithms to Distinguish VT from SVT

Brugada Criteria

Vereckei Criteria

An algorithm has been proposed by Vereckei and colleagues. In addition to to do the traditional criteria, the voltage change on the EKG is used as a final discriminatory criteria. In this method, the voltage change during the initial 40 ms (v(i)) and the terminal 40 ms (v(t)) of the same QRS complex is used to estimate the (v(i)) and terminal (v(t)) ventricular activation velocity ratio (v(i)/v(t)). A v(i)/v(t) >1 suggests SVT and a v(i)/v(t) <or=1 suggests VT. [2]

The method calculating Vi / Vt is shown below. Because the Vi/Vt si < 1, a diagnosis of VT is suggested by the tracing:


ACC Algorithm for Distinguishing SVT from VT

ACC algorithm
ACC algorithm

The above figure is adapted from the American College of Cardiology algorithm.

Diagnosis

History

The patient should be asked about drugs that are associated with ventricular tachycardia and if there is a history of ischemic heart disease which would dramatically increase the odds that the rhythm is VT. Wide complex tachycardia will be due to VT in 80% of cases and will be due to VT in 98% of cases if there's a history of either acute MI or structural heart disease. Only 7% of patients with SVT will have had a prior myocardial infarction (MI). VT or an accelerated idioventricular rhythm can be seen following reperfusion in STEMI. Digoxin, antiarrhythmics, phenothiazines, TCAs, and pheochromocytoma may also cause VT. Recent procedures such as cardiac catheterization, DC countershock, repair of congenital lesions are all associated iwth VT. A family history of sudden cardiac death, a history of a channelopathy associated with arrhythmias, and the hereditary Long QT syndrome, and Brugada syndrome are all associated with VT.

Symptoms

Physical Examination

  • Vitals should be obtained to assess hemodynamic stability and guide therapy
  • Cannon-a waves are a manifestation of AV dissociation and suggest VT
  • Carotid sinus massage (CSM)/Valsalva: ST can gradually slow. MAT, AT, Flutter, and AF may transiently slow. An AV nodal dependent WCT may terminate. AV dissociation may become more apparent with CSM in VT. VT can terminate with CSM

Electrocardiogram

EKG examples and diagnosis here:

  • Extreme axis deviation favors VT. Especially -90 to -180 or “northwest” or “superior” axis. (23% of SVT will have SAD)
  • QRS duration >140 msec favors VT (21% of VT will have QRS <140 msec)
  • AV dissociation is demonstrated in only 21% of VT
  • Morphologic Criteria
    • 4% of SVT and 6% of VT did not fulfill criteria in any lead
    • 40% will have discordance between V1/V2 and V5/V6. One lead may suggest VT while another suggests SVT.
  • An algorithmic approach was proposed by Brugada in 1991. It has a reported sensitivity of 99% and specificity of 97%.


An overview of ventricular tachycardias, follow the wide complex tachycardia flowchart
example regularity atrial frequency ventricular frequency origin (SVT/VT) p-wave effect of adenosine
Wide complex (QRS>0.12)
Ventricular Tachycardia regular (mostly) 60-100 bpm 110-250 bpm ventricle (VT) AV-dissociation no rate reduction (sometimes accelerates)
Ventricular Fibrillation irregular 60-100 bpm 400-600 bpm ventricle (VT) AV-dissociation none
Ventricular Flutter regular 60-100 bpm 150-300 bpm ventricle (VT) AV-dissociation none
Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm regular (mostly) 60-100 bpm 50-110 bpm ventricle (VT) AV-dissociation no rate reduction (sometimes accelerates)
Torsade de Pointes regular 150-300 bpm ventricle (VT) AV-dissociation no rate reduction (sometimes accelerates)
Bundle-branch re-entrant tachycardia* regular 60-100 bpm 150-300 bpm ventricles (VT) AV-dissociation no rate reduction
*) Bundle-branch re-entrant tachycardia is extremely rare

Electrocardiographic Examples


This is a series from a young man in his 20's.

The first EKG shown below is on his presentation to the emergency room. It shows a wide complex tachycardia at 230/min. It is a RBBB configuration with a deep S wave in V6 and a tall R wave in V1. This the deep S wave in V6 could suggest ventricular tachycarida.

EKG shown below is a recording rhythm strip from the same patient is after giving intravenous Adenosine. The tachycardia slows and becomes irregular and the QRS narrows. Then there is a pause and flutter waves are seen at a rate of 300/min. Note the PVCs that appear after the pause. The rhythm at the end of the recording is probably flutter with 2:1 block. It is entirely possible that the Adenosine increased the rate of this patient's flutter and hence the AV node was able to create a 2:1 block (see EKG below, note SVT in lead V1) and slow down the ventricular rate. The patient, after this recording reverted to sinus rhythm. It is not unusual that acceleration of atrial flutter with cardiac pacing produces a flutter that is less stable and which then converts spontaneously to sinus rhythm.

Below is the final EKG after the patient reverted to sinus rhythm.


EKG shown below is a recording from a 25 year old man with palpitations. There is a dominant r' in V1 which makes this a wide complex with a right bundle branch morphology. The axis is unusual though as it is to the right (large S in lead 1). The R to S ratio in lead V6 is less than one and this favours the diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia.


Below is a recording from a patient being treated for a wide complex tachycardia . The recording could be sinus with a first degree block (plus a partial right bundle branch block or possibly RVH). It is to be noted though that a sinus rate of 100/min seems some what fast for a patient on nadolol and that the rhythm is irregular. On the other hand, the more likely rhyhtm is SVT (or slow atrial flutter at a rate of 200/min) with variable block though mostly 2:1 block. This is an atrial rate similar to that of the wide complex tachycardia, and if one looks in lead I and lead V1 there does appear to be atrial activity at twice the ventricular rate.


Treatment

Defibrillation

Indications for defibrillation include the following:

Acute Pharmacotherapies

  • If stable: (More patients than you think)
  • DO NOT USE Ca2+ Channel blocker, Digoxin or Adenosine if you don't not know the etiology of the Wide Complex Tachycardia. Ca2+ Channel blockers and Digoxin can lead to accelerated conduction down a bypass tract and VF.
  • Though ACLS guidelines recommend a diagnostic trial of Adenosine, it can precipitate VF in some patients with SVT. Patients who have underlying coronary disease may become ischemic from coronary steal. Rhythm can degenerate and lead to VF that cannot be resuscitated. Furthermore, some VT (esp those with structurally normal hearts) are adenosine responsive and can terminate.
    1. Etiology Uncertain
      • Pronestyl 15mg/kg load over 30 minutes then 2-6mg/min gtt
    2. Ventricular Tachycardia with active ischemia
      • Lidocaine 1 mg/kg q5-10 min up to 3 times then 2-6mg.min gtt
      • If unsuccessful, Pronestyl as above
      • If unsuccessful, IV Amiodarone 150-300 load over 15-20min. 30-60mg/hr gtt for total of 1gram
    3. Ventricular Tachycardia in Setting of Cardiomyopathy
    4. Positively SVT with aberrancy
    5. Antidromic AVRT
      • If 100% positive AF is not underlying, can terminate with a nodal blocker
      • If unsure, Pronestyl as above

Sources

Copyleft images obtained courtesy of ECGpedia, http://en.ecgpedia.org/index.php?title=Special:NewFiles&offset=&limit=500

References

  1. Pava LF, Perafán P, Badiel M, Arango JJ, Mont L, Morillo CA, Brugada J (2010). "R-wave peak time at DII: a new criterion for differentiating between wide complex QRS tachycardias". Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society. 7 (7): 922–6. doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2010.03.001. PMID 20215043. Retrieved 2012-10-13. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. Vereckei A, Duray G, Szénási G, Altemose GT, Miller JM (2007). "Application of a new algorithm in the differential diagnosis of wide QRS complex tachycardia". European Heart Journal. 28 (5): 589–600. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehl473. PMID 17272358. Retrieved 2012-10-13. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)


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