Ventricular Fibrillation

Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a life threatening condition in which the heart ceases to beat effectively and instead “quivers” or fibrillates very rapidly - sometimes at 350 beats per minute or more.


A person cannot survive this condition for ore than a few minutes without immediate treatment.(1) It is characterized by chaotic, highly irregular cardiac arrhythmia that originates in the ventricles.

Collapse and sudden cardiac death will follow in minutes unless medical help is provided immediately. If treated in time, V fib and ventricular tachycardia (extremely rapid heartbeat) can be converted into normal rhythm. This requires shocking the heart with a device called a defibrillator.(2)



Today one effective way to correct life-threatening rhythms is by using an electronic device called an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. This device shocks the heart to normalize the heartbeat if the heart's own electrical signals become disordered.(2)

1. Your total health, “Ventricular fibrillation.” Available at http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/ventricular-fibrillation.html. Accessed December 11, 2008.

2. American Heart Association, “Ventricular fibrillation.” http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4784. Accessed December 12, 2008


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