What is the difference between ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia?

• A. Ventricular fibrillation is chaotic and life-threatening; ventricular tachycardia is a rapid heartbeat that can lead to fibrillation
• B. Ventricular tachycardia is chaotic and life-threatening; ventricular fibrillation is a rapid heartbeat that can lead to fibrillation
• C. VF is slower than VT but equally dangerous
• D. VT is chaotic and life-threatening; VF is a rapid rhythm that may degenerate

Answer: (A)

Ventricular tachycardia is a fast rhythm that originates in the ventricles but stays relatively organized, so the heart can still have some coordinated contractions even though the rate is rapid and can reduce cardiac output. Ventricular fibrillation, on the other hand, is chaotic and disorganized electrical activity in the ventricles, producing no effective contraction and no pulse, which is immediately life-threatening.

This is why the best description is that ventricular fibrillation is chaotic and life-threatening, while ventricular tachycardia is a rapid heartbeat that can lead to fibrillation. The other statements mischaracterize the rhythms—VT is not chaotic, and VF is not just a simple rapid rhythm, but disorganized activity that can degenerate to VF from VT or cause sudden collapse.