How is ventricular fibrillation typically treated?

Ventricular fibrillation is a critical cardiac emergency characterized by disorganized electrical activity in the heart, leading to ineffective quivering of the ventricles and a cessation of blood flow. The most effective and immediate treatment for ventricular fibrillation is defibrillation, which involves the use of a defibrillator to deliver a controlled electric shock to the heart. This shock aims to reset the heart's electrical system, restore a normal rhythm, and re-establish effective pumping action.

Defibrillation is critical because, during ventricular fibrillation, the heart is not able to pump blood adequately, which can lead to rapid loss of consciousness and death if not treated promptly. While medications can play a role in managing underlying heart conditions or stabilizing the heart rhythm after defibrillation, they do not provide the immediate correction that defibrillation does. Cardioprotective drugs and strategies like rest and hydration are not appropriate for treating the acute life-threatening scenario posed by ventricular fibrillation, as they do not address the immediate need to restore normal heart rhythm. Thus, the use of a defibrillator is the primary and established treatment approach for ventricular fibrillation.