Which current range is associated with ventricular fibrillation?

Which current range is associated with ventricular fibrillation?

• A. 0.5 milliamp
• B. 2-10 milliamps
• C. 50-200 milliamps
• D. 100 milliamps

Answer: (C)

When current passes through the chest, it can disrupt the heart’s electrical system and cause ventricular fibrillation, a life-threatening quivering of the heart rather than a coordinated beat. The danger is highest with alternating current from power sources, where risky rhythms appear in the tens to hundreds of milliamps range. The range that best reflects where ventricular fibrillation becomes likely is about 50 to 200 milliamps. This window captures the current levels at which the heart’s normal rhythm can be suddenly deranged during typical exposure. Lower currents, like fractions of a milliamp or a few milliamps, mostly cause tingling or muscle contractions and don’t reliably trigger VF. A single value such as 100 milliamps is within the risk window but doesn’t represent the broader range over which VF can occur; the broader 50–200 mA range is the appropriate descriptor.

When current passes through the chest, it can disrupt the heart’s electrical system and cause ventricular fibrillation, a life-threatening quivering of the heart rather than a coordinated beat. The danger is highest with alternating current from power sources, where risky rhythms appear in the tens to hundreds of milliamps range.

The range that best reflects where ventricular fibrillation becomes likely is about 50 to 200 milliamps. This window captures the current levels at which the heart’s normal rhythm can be suddenly deranged during typical exposure. Lower currents, like fractions of a milliamp or a few milliamps, mostly cause tingling or muscle contractions and don’t reliably trigger VF. A single value such as 100 milliamps is within the risk window but doesn’t represent the broader range over which VF can occur; the broader 50–200 mA range is the appropriate descriptor.