What is the heart rate and QRS duration criteria for wide complex tachycardia?

Wide complex tachycardia is defined by specific criteria related to the heart's rhythm and its electrical conduction. The correct answer highlights the essential characteristics that help identify this condition. A heart rate exceeding 120 beats per minute (BPM) indicates that the heart is beating rapidly, which is critical for diagnosing tachycardia. The accompanying QRS duration greater than 0.12 seconds shows that the electrical impulses are taking longer than normal to travel through the ventricles. These two factors—elevated heart rate and prolonged QRS duration—are pivotal in identifying wide complex tachycardia, which can be indicative of underlying cardiac issues that require prompt assessment and management.

In clinical practice, recognizing these specific parameters allows healthcare providers to distinguish wide complex tachycardia from other forms of tachycardia, particularly because the treatment and potential outcomes differ significantly depending on the underlying electrical activity of the heart.