Treatment

Ventricular fibrillation requires emergency medical treatment to prevent sudden cardiac death. The goal of emergency treatment is to restore blood flow as quickly as possible to prevent organ and brain damage.

Emergency treatment for ventricular fibrillation includes:

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR mimics the pumping motion of the heart and keeps blood flowing through the body. First call 911 or your local emergency number. Then start CPR by pushing hard and fast on the person's chest — about 100 to 120 compressions a minute. Let the chest rise completely between compressions. Continue CPR until an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available or emergency personnel arrive.
• Defibrillation. This treatment is also called cardioversion. An automated external defibrillator (AED) delivers shocks through the chest wall to the heart. It can help restore a normal heart rhythm. As soon as an AED is available, apply it and follow the prompts. If you're not trained to use an AED, a 911 operator or another emergency medical operator may be able to give you instructions. Public-use AEDs are programmed to recognize ventricular fibrillation and send a shock only when needed.

Other treatments for ventricular fibrillation are given to prevent future episodes and reduce your risk of arrhythmia-related symptoms. Treatment for ventricular fibrillation includes medications, medical devices and surgery.

Medications

Drugs to control your heart rhythm (anti-arrhythmics) are used for emergency or long-term treatment of ventricular fibrillation. If you're at risk of ventricular fibrillation or sudden cardiac death, your doctor may prescribe medications to slow and control your heartbeat.

Surgery or other procedures

Surgery or medical procedures to treat ventricular fibrillation include:

• Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). An ICD is an implanted device that constantly monitors your heart rhythm. If it detects a very fast heartbeat or a quivering heart, it sends out shocks to stop the episode and reset your heart's rhythm. The battery-powered device is implanted near your left collarbone during a minor surgery. One or more flexible, insulated wires (leads) from the ICD run through veins to your heart.
• Cardiac ablation. This procedure uses heat or cold energy to create tiny scars in your heart to block the abnormal electrical signals that cause ventricular fibrillation. It's most often done using thin, flexible tubes called catheters inserted through the veins or arteries. It may also be done during heart surgery.

• Coronary angioplasty and stent placement. If your ventricular fibrillation was caused by a heart attack, this procedure may reduce your risk of future episodes of ventricular fibrillation.

  Doctors insert a long, thin tube (catheter) through an artery, usually in the groin, to a blocked artery in your heart. A balloon on the tip of the catheter briefly inflates to widen the artery, restoring blood flow to the heart. During the procedure, the doctor may place a metal mesh stent into the artery to help it stay open.

• Coronary bypass surgery. This open-heart surgery improves blood flow to the heart. It may be done if your ventricular fibrillation was caused by coronary artery disease. During bypass surgery, the surgeon takes a healthy blood vessel from your leg, arm or chest and connects it below and above the blocked arteries in your heart. This creates a new pathway for blood to flow through.