Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CCT Practice Questions and Study Guide

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is characterized by a series of consecutive, rapid heartbeats originating from the ventricles, and it typically displays a regular rhythm on an ECG. This regularity means that the R-R intervals (the time between successive R-wave peaks) remain consistent, which is key to identifying VT. The waves appear wide and can be uniform (monomorphic VT) or varied (polymorphic VT), but the overall rhythm will consistently appear regular.

In contrast, ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a chaotic, disorganized electrical activity that causes the heart to quiver ineffectively instead of pumping blood. The ECG pattern shows a rapid, erratic fluctuation without identifiable waveforms, leading to a completely irregular rhythm.

Thus, understanding that ventricular tachycardia has a regular rhythm is essential for differentiating it from ventricular fibrillation, which does not follow a standard rhythm pattern. Recognizing these characteristics on an ECG is vital for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment in emergency situations.