ABSTRACT
The presence of three or more consecutive ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) on an
electrocardiogram (ECG) is diagnosed as ventricular tachycardia (VT) (1,2). VT is
considered sustained if it lasts for 30 seconds or more, and nonsustained if it lasts less than
30 seconds (2). Complex ventricular arrhythmias (VA) include VT or paired, multiform,
or frequent VPC. This author considers frequent VPCs an average of more than or equal
to 30/hr or more on a 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram (AECG), or more than or
equal to 6/min or more on a one-minute rhythm strip of an ECG (2,3). Simple VA include
infrequent VPCs and no complex forms.
