Scenario: This is a single-lead rhythm strip from a 38-year-old healthy man who suffered a traumatic amputation of his right upper arm during a farming accident. He was resuscitated and transported to the regional trauma center by Mercy flight. After surgical debridement of his wound, the patient remained sedated and intubated in the trauma intensive care unit. He was hemodynamically stable until the central monitor alarmed for ventricular tachycardia.

Underlying sinus rhythm with bursts of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT)

This is a bedside electrocardiographic (ECG) rhythm strip of lead II. Despite the poor quality of the recording due to 60-cycle interference, the NSVT (>3 premature ventricular contractions at >100/min) is easily appreciated at the onset of the strip and sinus rhythm is visible at the end of the strip. ECG criteria to identify ventricular tachycardia are best applied to the 12-lead ECG or at least precordial leads V1 or...

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