The lower part of the heart is quivering, resulting in no blood flow to the vital organs. This is most likely which rhythm?

• A. Ventricular Tachycardia
• B. Atrial Fibrillation
• C. Asystole
• D. Ventricular Fibrillation

Answer: (D)

Ventricles that quiver and fail to contract as a unit cause the heart to pump no blood. In this rhythm, the lower chamber’s electrical activity is chaotic, so there is no coordinated ventricular squeeze and no forward flow to the organs. That description matches ventricular fibrillation, where the ventricles tremble rather than pump, leading to immediate loss of effective circulation.

By comparison, ventricular tachycardia is a rapid but more organized ventricular rhythm that can still generate some output, atrial fibrillation involves the atria quivering with irregular rhythms that may still allow variable venous return, and asystole is a flatline with no electrical activity at all.