Real Time Non-Invasive Hemodynamic Assessment of Ventricular Tachycardia

Hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a critical cardiac arrhythmia associated with hemodynamic compromise that requires immediate cardioversion to prevent sudden cardiac death. Since unnecessary cardioverter defibrillators shocks damage the heart and increase the risk of mortality, the discrimination between unstable (i.e. requiring cardioversion) and stable (i.e. not requiring cardioversion) VT is of paramount importance. The aim of this study was to propose and assess non-invasive identification of hemodynamically unstable VT using photoplethysmography (PPG). Seventy-five (n = 75) episodes of VT were recorded in 14 patients undergoing invasive electrophysiological studies for VT catheter ablation. Invasive continuous arterial blood pressure (ABP), PPG and electrocardiogram (ECG) were simultaneously recorded. VTs were classified as unstable if during the first 10 seconds from onset, the mean ABP (P̅VT VT) was P̅VT VT dropped more than 30% with respect to a 10 seconds baseline (i.e. ratio RABP VT VT VT ABP ABP