What arrhythmias can electrical defibrillation effectively treat?

Electrical defibrillation is a critical intervention for certain life-threatening arrhythmias, specifically pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. These arrhythmias are characterized by an ineffective heart rhythm that prevents the heart from pumping blood adequately, leading to a lack of perfusion to vital organs.

When defibrillation is applied, it delivers a controlled electrical shock to the heart, which momentarily stops all electrical activity. This interruption allows the heart's natural pacemaker to regain control and restore a normal rhythm. In the case of ventricular fibrillation, the heart's electrical signals are chaotic, and defibrillation aims to reset this chaotic activity. Similarly, pulseless ventricular tachycardia is a rapid heartbeat that can also be lethal if it leads to cardiac arrest.

In contrast, the other arrhythmias listed do not respond to defibrillation. Atrial fibrillation and stable tachycardia, while serious, are typically managed with medications or cardioversion rather than immediate defibrillation. Bradycardia often requires pacing rather than an electrical shock, and asystole indicates a lack of electrical activity altogether, which cannot be corrected with defibrillation. Complete heart block and atrial flutter also require different management