The Use of External, Noninvasive Pacing for the Termination of Ventricular Tachycardia in the Emergency Department Setting

Study objective: To determine the potential usefulness of external cardiac pacing for the termination of sustained ventricular tachycardia in the emergency department setting. Type of participants: Five men and one woman (mean age, 57 years) who presented to the ED with a wide-complex, hemodynamically stable tachycardia that was later proven to be ventricular in origin. Intervention: Each patient underwent external overdrive pacing using a modified external pacemaker at a pulse amplitude of 120 mA and a rate of 200 pulses per minute. Results: In all six patients, external cardiac pacing was able to successfully terminate tachycardia without complication. Conclusion: We conclude that external noninvasive pacing may be an effective means of terminating ventricular tachycardia in the ED setting.