- The patient overall had previously been healthy without a known cardiac history.
- The above said — he is a heavy smoker, and has been on a number of psychoactive medications.
- How would you interpret the rhythm in Figure-1?
- How certain are you of your diagnosis?
- How should you treat the patient?
![]() |
| Figure-1: The initial ECG in today's case — obtained from a hemodynamically stable patient with "palpitations". (To improve visualization — I've digitized the original ECG using PMcardio). |
- Statistically — 80-90% of regular WCT rhythms without sinus P waves will turn out to be VT. Therefore — Assume VT until proven otherwise. Treat the patient accordingly.
- That said, since this patient is hemodynamically stable — You have at least a moment in time to look closer at the rhythm for features that might increase (or decrease) your diagnostic certainty from an initial statistical likelihood of 80-90% VT.
- The frontal plane axis.
- Signs of atrial activity.
- QRS morphology during the WCT rhythm.
- As a result — my definition of an "extreme" frontal plane axis — is that the QRS complex must be entirely negative in either lead I and/or in lead aVF.
- As highlighted in Figure-2 — there is indeed a marked right axis in ECG #1, as the small-amplitude QRS in lead I is predominantly negative.
- That said — the QRS in lead I is not all negative, because a small-but-definitely-present initial positive deflection (r wave) is seen in this lead.
- Bottom Line: The marked right axis in Figure-2 favors VT. However, because the QRS is not all negative in lead I — the descriminatory value of a right-but-not-extreme axis is significantly reduced. Therefore, the rightward axis in ECG #1 is of limited diagnostic value, and does not prove VT.
- That said — these retrograde P waves appear to occur after each QRS complex in the inferior leads. Since both reentry SVT rhythms (AVNRT, AVRT) and VT may manifest 1:1 VA conduction as we see here — the finding of retrograde P waves in ECG #1 does not prove VT.
- The "good news" — is that assessment of QRS morphology may help greatly to narrow down the likelihood that a given WCT rhythm is either VT or an SVT (SupraVentricular Tachycardia) with preexisting BBB (Bundle Branch Block) or aberrant conduction (See ECG Blog #196 for details).
- As emphasized in ECG Blog #211 — the chances of a WCT rhythm being supraventricular increase significantly IF — QRS morphology is consistent with one of the known forms of conduction block (ie, RBBB, LBBB, LAHB or LPHB; or RBBB with one of these hemiblocks).
- Does QRS morphology during the WCT rhythm look like one of the known forms of conduction block?
- As seen in Figure-2 — QRS morphology during the WCT rhythm in today’s initial ECG does not in the least resemble RBBB conduction. This is because the QRS is all negative in lead V1, as well as in other anterior leads.
- QRS morphology also does not resemble LBBB conduction — because the QRS is predominantly negative in the lateral limb leads ( = leads I and aVL).
- As shown in Figure-2 — the frontal plane axis is rightward (ie, as determined by predominant negativity of the QRS in lead I). This immediately rules out LAHB conduction which requires a markedly leftward frontal plane axis. LPHB conduction is also unlikely — because the typical qR morphology in the inferior leads is lacking (ie, monophasic R waves without an initial q wave are seen in leads II,III,aVF).
- As noted in ECG Blog #525 — QRS morphology of RVOT is characterized by a pattern resembling LBBB conduction in the chest leads — with a rightward axis in the frontal plane.
- There clearly is a rightward frontal plane axis in Figure-2.
- Most cases of RVOT VT manifest a QRS with predominant negativity for the first 3 or 4 chest leads — after which a predominantly positive R wave develops. Although transition to a predominantly positive R wave is delayed in Figure-2 — it does finally develop by lead V6. Thus, although R wave progression is a bit atypical for RVOT VT — the QRS morphology that we see in Figure-2 still could be consistent with RVOT VT if an all positive R wave develops by lead V7 or V8.
- As discussed in ECG Blog #525 and in the ADDENDUM at the bottom of this page — the clinical relevance of determining whether or not an ischemic form of VT is present vs RVOT VT — is that initial treatment considerations may differ. That said, because QRS morphology does not resemble any known form of conduction block — the odds are strongly in favor of some form of VT.
- Editorial Note: There is often more than a single way to treat a given patient. As reviewed in the ADDENDUM below — Once you identify a regular WCT rhythm as fascicular VT, and know that the patient is likely to have idiopathic VT (ie, VT in the absence of underlying heart disease) — IV Verapamil becomes the treatment of choice with the best chance for medical conversion to sinus rhythm.
- That said — given the age and history of today's patient (who is a longterm male smoker in his 60s, who is also on a number of psychoactive medications) — it becomes less likely that the rhythm in Figure-2 represents an idiopathic VT. This is especially true given the presence of QS complexes in leads V1-thru-V5, with transition only beginning between leads V5-to-V6. I therefore would not opt for Verapamil in this patient.
- Given that the patient remained hemodynamically stable in association with today's WCT rhythm — either an antiarrhythmic (such as IV Amiodarone) or going straight to synchronized electrical cardioversion are the options I would favor.
- Does the post-cardioversion ECG suggest that the cause of this patient's VT was an acute MI?
![]() |
| Figure-3: Comparison between today's initial ECG — and the repeat ECG recorded after synchronized electrical cardioversion. |
- Diffuse notching of the P wave suggests an intra-atrial conduction disturbance — although the upright P wave with constant PR interval confirms sinus rhythm.
- The QRS is at most, no more than minimally widened (between 0.10-0.11 second). However the all-upright QRS in lead V1 is distinctly abnormal. Whether this is the result of an incomplete RBBB (somewhat widened terminal S waves are seen in lateral leads I and V6) — left septal fascicular block (an uncommon phenomenon — but one that can produce prominent anterior forces) — RVH (given the not overly wide, all upright QRS in lead V1) — or some combination of these factors, is uncertain from this single post-cardioversion tracing.
- However, the most remarkable finding in ECG #2 — is the diffuse T wave inversion, that is especially deep in the anterior leads (BLUE arrows in Figure-3).
- Questions remain regarding this previously healthy 60s man given his smoking history, longterm use of a number of psychoactive medications, and the ECG abnormalities on his post-cardioversion tracing (intra-atrial block; Tall R in lead V1 of uncertain etiology; and diffuse T wave inversion).
- Because of the diffuse T wave inversion in ECG #2 — We cannot rule out the possibility of an acute MI as the cause of this patient's episode of VT.
- The above said — We need to remember the common phenomenon known as Cardiac Memory following an episode of sustained VT.
- Cardiac Echo showed mild-to-moderate reduction in ejection fraction, with a hypokinetic apical area. There was no indication of RVH.
- Serial Troponins were all negative for infarction.
- Although the precise causative mechanism is uncertain — the thought is that a sustained tachycardia with QRS widening will be associated with oppositely-directed abnormal T waves. With conversion to normal sinus rhythm — there is an abrupt "correction" of QRS morphology. The T waves ultimately will also "correct" — but there may sometimes be a transient stage of "memory" (usually lasting only hours — but sometimes persisting for up to a few days) in which T waves "remember" the vector of abnormal QRS morphology that was present during the WCT rhythm.
- As might be imagined — distinction between acute ischemia and/or infarction vs a benign "memory" effect may at times be difficult!
- KEY Point: Cardiac catheterization is not necessarily be needed to prove a “memory” effect if T wave inversion resolves in timely fashion, Troponins are negative, normal LV function resumes and the patient returns to their pre-arrhythmia asymptomatic state.
- In today's case — the fact that serial Troponins were all negative supports the likelihood that the diffuse T wave inversion in ECG #2 represents a benign "memory" effect.
- That said — the patient's Echo did show abnormal LV function and the post-conversion ECG is not "normal". As a result — further evaluation is in order.
- Ongoing obvservation with serial ECGs — to see if the diffuse T wave inversion persisted or resolved in timely fashion (ie, Resolution of diffuse T wave inversion within a few hours in association with negative serial Troponins — would strongly support the likelihood of "Memory" ).
- Careful review of this patient's medical record — including comparison with prior ECGs to see if the bradycardia, intra-atrial block, and tall R wave in lead V1 were present beforehand.
- Potentially cardiac catheterization — depending on results of other follow-up.
- Referral to EP cardiology for study and potential ablation given the persistent VT episode that brought the patient into the hospital.
- Coordination between cardiology and psychiatry teams regarding optimal use of psychoactive medications so as to minimize future arrhythmia risk.
- Encouragement of smoking cessation ...
==================================
Acknowledgment: My appreciation to Mohammed Elsisi (from Benha City, Egypt) — for allowing me to use this case and this tracing.
==================================
![]()
==============================
ADDENDUM (8/29/2026):
- Below — More on idiopathic VT:
![]() |
| Figure-4: Review of KEY features regarding Idiopathic VT (See text). |
-USE.png)
-labeled-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE%20copy.png)

-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-labeled-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-labeled-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)
-USE.png)