V-tach
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
Cardiachigh priorityneeds review
V-tach
Also testable as: Ventricular tachycardia
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Rapid ventricular rhythm from ischemia, electrolyte imbalance, structural disease, or toxicity.
- Ventricles beat too fast to fill and pump effectively.
Medications
| Class | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Antiarrhythmics | Amiodarone or other agents may be used when pulse and protocol allow. |
Nursing actions
- Check pulse and assess stability immediately.
- If pulseless, start CPR and defibrillation pathway.
- If unstable with pulse, prepare synchronized cardioversion per protocol.
Complications
- Cardiac arrest
- V-fib
- Shock
NCLEX cues
- Wide-complex tachycardia.
- Pulse/no pulse changes the whole answer.
Memory hooks
- V-tach: pulse check first.
Labs / Diagnostics
- Trend assessment findings and ordered diagnostics; verify exact values with school source material.
Review notes
- Session-derived study seed. Verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy before relying on details.