These single lead rhythm strips are from the bedside monitor of a 55 year old male patient with a history of prior anterior and inferior wall myocardial infarctions. It shows a rapid polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that degenerates into ventricular fibrillation.
The upper two strips are continuous. There are two premature beats in a row (*) followed by a compensatory pause. After the next sinus beat, there is a short run of a polymorphic non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (**) followed again by a compensatory pause. There is then a single sinus beat and two upright ectopic beats in rapid succession that morph into a very rapid (greater than 300 beats per minute) polymorphic tachycardia that resembles torsade.
The lower strip was recorded one minute later and shows ventricular fibrillation from which the patient could not be resuscitated.