Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is defined by which statement?

• A. Ventricles are not contracting effectively enough to sustain adequate cardiac output
• B. Heart beating normally with a pulse
• C. Ventricles are not contracting at all
• D. There is an organized rhythm with a pulse

Answer: (C)

Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is defined by the absence of a palpable pulse in the setting of a rapid ventricular rhythm. The key idea is that there is no effective forward blood flow despite the fast heart rate. Among the statements, the one that best fits this condition is that the ventricles are not contracting at all—meaning no enough pumping action to generate a pulse. The other options describe a normal or organized rhythm with a pulse, which would not be pulseless VT. In practice, pulseless VT is treated as a shockable rhythm with immediate defibrillation and ACLS measures.