What is the treatment of choice for ventricular fibrillation?

Immediate defibrillation is the treatment of choice for ventricular fibrillation because this arrhythmia is life-threatening and requires a prompt restoration of a normal heart rhythm. Ventricular fibrillation occurs when the heart's electrical signals become chaotic, leading to ineffective pumping of blood. The only effective way to treat it is to deliver an electric shock to the heart, which can reset the electrical activity and allow it to return to a normal rhythm.

Defibrillation works by depolarizing a critical mass of the myocardium, allowing the heart's natural pacemaker to take over and restore a coordinated heartbeat. The sooner defibrillation is administered, the better the chances of survival, making it crucial in emergency situations.

While medications and CPR are important components of cardiac care, they are adjuncts to defibrillation in cases of ventricular fibrillation. Cardiac monitoring is essential for assessing rhythms, but it doesn't treat the underlying problem of ventricular fibrillation itself. Therefore, immediate defibrillation is the most critical intervention in this scenario.