Professional
Technical
IVT
VF
Also written as: VF — ventricular fibrillation
Ventricular fibrillation, a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia causing cardiac arrest.
Full Definition
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a chaotic, disorganized electrical activity in the ventricles that results in ineffective cardiac output and immediate cardiac arrest. The ECG shows irregular, rapid oscillations without identifiable QRS complexes. VF is a shockable rhythm requiring immediate defibrillation as part of advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) protocols. Without prompt intervention, VF is universally fatal within minutes due to absence of meaningful cardiac output.
Usage
Usage note: Often confused with VT; both are ventricular arrhythmias but VF is always unstable.
In Context
- "The monitor showed VF and immediate defibrillation was performed." — Code blue documentation
- "Fine VF may be difficult to distinguish from asystole on rhythm strips." — ACLS training manual
Also known as
ventricular fibrillation
v-fib
Contrasted with
normal sinus rhythm
organized rhythm
Don't confuse with
VT
asystole
fine VF vs asystole