Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised May 30, 2026

Ventricular flutter

Ventricular flutter is an arrhythmia, more specifically a ventricular tachycardia affecting the ventricles with a rate over 250-350 beats/min, and one of the most indiscernible. It is characterized on the ECG by a sinusoidal waveform without clear definition of the QRS and T waves. It has been considered as a possible transition stage between ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, and is a critically unstable arrhythmia that can result in sudden cardiac death.

Last revised
May 30, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
369 w
Citations
4
Source
Ventricular flutter
SpecialtyCardiology Edit this on Wikidata
SymptomsChest Pain, Syncope,
ComplicationsVentricular fibrillation, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Death

Ventricular flutter is an arrhythmia, more specifically a ventricular tachycardia affecting the ventricles with a rate over 250-350 beats/min, and one of the most indiscernible. It is characterized on the ECG by a sinusoidal waveform without clear definition of the QRS and T waves. It has been considered as a possible transition stage between ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, and is a critically unstable arrhythmia that can result in sudden cardiac death.

It can occur in infancy,1 youth,2 or as an adult.

It can be induced by programmed electrical stimulation.34

References

References

  1. Thies, Karl-Christian; Boos, Karin; Müller-Deile, Kai; Ohrdorf, Wolfgang; Beushausen, Thomas; Townsend, Peter (2000). "Ventricular flutter in a neonate—severe electrolyte imbalance caused by urinary tract infection in the presence of urinary tract malformation". The Journal of Emergency Medicine. 18 (1): 47–50. doi:10.1016/S0736-4679(99)00161-4. PMID 10645837.
  2. Hayashi, Masami; Murata, Minoru; Satoh, Masahito; Aizawa, Yoshifusa; Oda, Eiji; Oda, Yuji; Watanabe, Tohru; Shibata, Akira (1985). "Sudden nocturnal death in young males from ventricular flutter". Japanese Heart Journal. 26 (4): 585–591. doi:10.1536/ihj.26.585. PMID 4057556.
  3. Gurevitz, Osnat; Viskin, Sami; Glikson, Michael; Ballman, Karla V.; Rosales, A.Gabriela; Shen, Win-Kuang; Hammill, Stephen C.; Friedman, Paul A. (2004). "Long-term prognosis of inducible ventricular flutter: Not an innocent finding". American Heart Journal. 147 (4): 649–654. doi:10.1016/j.ahj.2003.11.012. PMID 15077080.
  4. Viskin, Sami; Ish-Shalom, Maya; Koifman, Edward; Rozovski, URI; Zeltser, David; Glick, Aharon; Finkelstein, Ariel; Halkin, Amir; Fish, Roman; Belhassen, Bernard (2003). "Ventricular Flutter Induced During Electrophysiologic Studies in Patients with Old Myocardial Infarction". Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. 14 (9): 913–919. doi:10.1046/j.1540-8167.2003.03082.x. PMID 12950532.
Further reading

Further reading