The normal adult heart rate, or pulse, ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. A heart rate that continues to beat above 100 beats per minute is called tachycardia.

Ventricular tachycardia is an arrhythmia that originates in the pumping chambers, or the ventricles. It is usually seen in patients who have damaged ventricular chambers, frequently in the aftermath of a heart attack or myocardial infarction.