Which of the following is a common characteristic of ventricular tachycardia (VT)?

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is characterized by a rapid heart rate that originates from the ventricles and is often recognized by its wide QRS complexes. This is due to the impulse arising from the ventricles rather than the atria, causing a delay in the conduction through the ventricles, which results in broader QRS complexes on the electrocardiogram (ECG).

Wide QRS complexes are significant for diagnosis as they indicate that the electrical activity is not following the normal conduction pathway through the heart, which would typically produce narrow QRS complexes. The regular rhythm pattern is also commonly associated with VT; however, the defining feature that distinguishes it is primarily the presence of wide QRS complexes.

In the context of the other options, the presence of P waves is generally absent in VT because the ventricular activation is not coordinated with atrial activity due to the focus of the rhythm being in the ventricles rather than originating from the sinoatrial node or atrial tissues. Bradycardia, which refers to a slower heart rate, is not a feature of VT, as VT involves a rapid heart rate exceeding 100 beats per minute. Thus, wide QRS complexes are a hallmark characteristic when identifying ventricular tachycardia