The rhythm described by a quivering ventricle with no effective blood flow is which?

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

Answer: (A)

Ventricular fibrillation is the rhythm where the ventricles quiver and fail to pump blood effectively. In VF, electrical activity is chaotic, so the ventricles do not contract in a coordinated way, leading to no meaningful cardiac output and no palpable pulse. This is a life-threatening pulseless rhythm that requires immediate CPR and defibrillation to try to restore a normal rhythm. The other rhythms don’t fit: ventricular tachycardia is a rapid but more organized ventricular rhythm that may still produce some output, asystole is a flatline with no electrical activity, and atrial fibrillation involves irregular atrial activity with an irregular ventricular response but usually retains some cardiac output.