The incidence of VT in the United States is not well quantified, because of the clinical overlap of

VT with VF, but examination of sudden death data provides a rough estimate of VT incidence.
Most sudden cardiac deaths are caused by VT or VF, at an estimated rate of approximately
300,000 deaths per year in the United States, or about half of the estimated cardiac mortality.[1]
A prospective surveillance study gave a sudden death incidence of 53 per 100,000 population,
accounting for 5.6% of all mortality.[2] This is only a rough estimate of VT incidence, both
because many patients have nonfatal VT and because arrhythmic sudden deaths may be
associated with VF or bradycardia rather than with VT. In patients with ischemic
cardiomyopathy and nonsustained VT, sudden death mortality approaches 30% in 2 years.

Age-related demographics
VT is unusual in children but may occur in the postoperative cardiac setting or in patients with
associated congenital heart disease. Tachydysrhythmias in children are more commonly due to
paroxysmal SVTs (PSVTs).[3] The incidence of ischemic VT increases with age, regardless of sex,
as the prevalence of CAD increases. VT rates peak in the middle decades of life, in concert with
the incidence of structural heart disease. Idiopathic VT can be observed at any age.

Sex-related demographics
VT is observed more frequently in men because ischemic heart disease is more prevalent in men.
Among patients with CAD in the Framingham Heart Study, male deaths were more common
than female deaths (46% vs 34%, respectively).[4] It seems certain that as CAD becomes more
common in women, the incidence of VT in women will increase.

1. McNally B, Robb R, Mehta M, Vellano K, Valderrama AL, Yoon PW, et al. Out-ofhospital cardiac arrest surveillance --- Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival
(CARES), United States, October 1, 2005--December 31, 2010. MMWR Surveill Summ.
2011 Jul 29. 60(8):1-19.
2. Chugh SS, Jui J, Gunson K, Stecker EC, John BT, Thompson B, et al. Current burden of
sudden cardiac death: multiple source surveillance versus retrospective death certificatebased review in a large U.S. community. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2004 Sep 15. 44(6):1268-75.
3. Garson A Jr, Gillette PC, McNamara DG. Supraventricular tachycardia in children:
clinical features, response to treatment, and long-term follow-up in 217 patients. J
Pediatr. 1981 Jun. 98(6):875-82.
4. Gordon T, Kannel WB. Premature mortality from coronary heart disease. The
Framingham study. JAMA. 1971 Mar 8. 215(10):1617-25.