Wide Complex Tachycardias

STAT ECG Diagnoses: regular wide complex tachycardia (RWCT) after succinylcholine?

A middle-age man presents to the ED with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure from multilobar pneumonia. He is intubated using etomidate and succinylcholine and noted to have a change in rhythm…

Wide Complex Tachycardias: regular wide complex tachycardia (RWCT) vs. regular REALLY wide complex tachycardia (RRWCT)

A 70-year-old male presents to the ED with generalized weakness and dizziness. He is suspected to be in atrial fibrillation with a heart rate of ~ 150 bpm. He is…

Differential Diagnoses: must know causes of wide QRS complexes

A 15-year-old girl presents to the ED listless and tremulous. She is unable to provide a reliable history. Her heart rate is around 150 bpm and she is mildly tachypneic…

Wide Complex Tachycardias: considerations in unstable patients with discussion on an important VT mimic

A 78-year-old woman called EMS for palpitations and mild chest pressure. She was shocked 4 times prior to arrival for a wide complex tachycardia and waxing and waning mental status…

STAT ECG Diagnoses: can’t miss type of wide complex irregular tachycardia

A 37-year-old man is brought to the ED with episodes of palpitations. In the ED he has intermittent episodes of wide complex tachycardia. He is hemodynamically stable. The following ECG…

ECG Basics & Fundamentals: electrical cardioversion of an unstable regular wide complex tachycardia

A 50-year-old man is brought to the ED with a regular wide complex tachycardia (RWCT) shown below. He is pain free with a normal blood pressure and mental status. His…

The perfect wide complex tachycardia algorithm…does not exist!

A 55-year-old man presents to the ED with chest tightness and palpitations. He is noted to have dyspnea and diaphoresis with a normal blood pressure. The following ECG is obtained:

ECG Basics & Fundamentals: can torsades cause seizures?

A 55-year-old man presents to the ED after a witnessed seizure and is somnolent on arrival. He wakes up enough to mumble answers to a few questions but then becomes…

Wide Complex Tachycardias: what is the difference between polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and torsades des pointes

A 13-month-old female is transferred to you for intermittent torsades/dysrhythmias from a community ED. She has been slightly lethargic and has a cardiac history of VSD, ASD, and a PDA…

Wide Complex Tachycardias: what to think of when they are REALLY wide!

Differential Diagnoses: how to use ECG differentials to clinch the diagnosis in sick patients

HPI: 64-year-old male smoker with a Hx of HTN, DM, COPD presents with lightheadedness and chest tightness. He has had flu like symptoms for the past week, that have been…