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Cardiac (non-arrest)
Overdrive pacing for refractory pVT prehospital
Transcutaneous overdrive pacing for refractory polymorphic ventricular tachycardia in the prehospital setting: A case report and practical considerations
Emergency Medical Service · Added 27 October 2026
A prehospital case report describes transcutaneous overdrive pacing used as rescue therapy for refractory polymorphic ventricular tachycardia after cardiac arrest, highlighting the gap between guideline options and what ambulances actually carry.
- Study type
- Case series
- Design
- Case report
- Participants
- 1 patient
- Main finding
- Transcutaneous overdrive pacing was implemented prehospital as rescue for recurrent polymorphic VT after OHCA when transvenous pacing was unavailable
- Caveat
- Single case with no comparison or outcome detail beyond the index event
- Bottom line
- Context only
Why it matters in Australia (Medium relevance). Transcutaneous pacing is an intensive care paramedic skill on Australian trucks, and this is a practical rescue option when drugs and shocks fail — but it rests on a single case.
Learning goal
Strengthen my judgement on when transcutaneous overdrive pacing is appropriate rescue therapy for refractory polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.
More
- Topic: Cardiac (non-arrest)
- Daily scan: 27 October 2026
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