What is Ventricular tachycardia?
{{Infobox disease | Name = Ventricular tachycardia | Image = Lead II rhythm ventricular tachycardia Vtach VT.JPG | Caption = | DiseasesDB = 13819 | ICD10 = {{ICD10|I|47|2|i|30}} | ICD9 = {{ICD9|427.1}} | ICDO = | OMIM = | MedlinePlus = 000187 | eMedicineSubj = emerg | eMedicineTopic = 634 | eMedicine_mult = {{eMedicine2|med|2367}} {{eMedicine2|ped|2546}} | MeshID = D017180 | }} '''Ventricular tachycardia''' ('''V-tach''' or '''VT''') is a type of [[tachycardia]] (a fast [[heart rate]]). The [[heart]] has four chambers (closed spaces). The top two are called the atria, and the bottom two are called the ventricles. When the [[Heart#Structure|heart is working normally]], electrical signals in the heart tell the atria to squeeze first. However, in ventricular tachycardia, the ventricles squeeze first. This happens because the electrical signals that tell the atria to squeeze first are not working.<ref name=cc>{{cite web |url=https://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/heart/disorders/arrhythmia/Ventricular-Tachycardia |title=Ventricular Tachycardia |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=May 2015 |website=Cleveland Clinic Heart & Vascular Institute |publisher=Cleveland Clinic |access-date=January 26, 2016 |archive-date=January 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127000539/http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/heart/disorders/arrhythmia/Ventricular-Tachycardia |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ventricular tachycardia is a [[medical emergency]]. First of all, if the heart is beating too fast, it does not have time to refill with [[blood]] between beats. This means that the heart will not be able to squeeze out enough blood to the rest of the body. Most people in ventricular tachycardia have a heart rate of at least 170 beats per minute.<ref name=cc /> This is very fast. (A normal heart rate is 60-100.) Ventricular tachycardia can also cause [[hypotension|low blood pressure]]. If the blood pres