Curtis and Walker reported 7 scores to grade arrhythmias. Score A is one of several that assigns a single point score. The authors are from St. Thomas’ Hospital London and the University of British Columbia.
Parameters:
(1) number of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs, VPBs)
(2) number of episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT)
(3) duration of VT in seconds
(4) number of episodes of spontaneously converting ventricular fibrillation (SVF)
(5) number of episodes of nonspontaneously converting ventricular fibrillation (NVF)
(6) duration of both types of ventricular fibrillation in seconds
(7) time to arrest (fatal) from VF after arterial occlusion in minutes
total duration of VT and VF =
= (duration of VT in seconds) + (duration of VF in seconds)
|
PVCs |
VT |
SVF |
NVF |
Points |
|
<= 49 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
50 to 499 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
>= 500 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
NA |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
NA |
<=1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Duration VT+VF |
Points |
|
< 60 s |
3 |
|
60 to 119 s |
4 |
|
>= 120 s |
5 |
|
VF to arrest |
Points |
|
>= 15 min |
6 |
|
4 to < 15 min |
7 |
|
1 to < 4 min |
8 |
|
< 1 min |
9 |
where:
• Nonspontaneously converting VF requires some form of intervention to convert.
• Several items had < or > a value but no =. The table above provides an equal sign.
• For points 3, 4, and 5 the duration factor is set. But there is no guidance if the duration exceeds the set limit. Also there may be overlaps in scores 5 and 6.
Specialty: Cardiology
