Certified EKG Technician (CET) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is characterized by the heart beating very quickly due to improper electrical activity in the ventricles. The identification of VT often relies on the presence of multiple premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) occurring in a series, typically three or more in succession. When these occur in rapid succession, they can result in a sustained ventricular tachycardia, leading to a consistent and abnormal heart rhythm that can be harmful.

In this context, the presence of multiple PVCs in a row suggests that the ventricles are firing impulsively and rapidly, indicative of ventricular tachycardia. Therefore, recognizing this pattern of consecutive PVCs is important for diagnosing the condition.

While bradycardia with frequent PVCs and a prolonged QT interval can be linked to different cardiac issues, they do not uniquely indicate ventricular tachycardia. Similarly, chest pain with a normal heartbeat does not suggest ventricular tachycardia, as the rhythm is regular, and VT typically involves an abnormal heartbeat. Hence, the most clear indicator of potential ventricular tachycardia is indeed multiple premature ventricular contractions in succession.