Broad complex tachycardia in a young man

We report a case of a 24-year-old man suffering from tachycardia and dyspnea. A semi-automatic defibrillator assessed him to have a shockable rhythm: ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. Although the diagnosis was wrong the patient was treated correctly. Atrial fibrillation in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome can result in a rapid and irregular ventricular response. Because of its characteristic electrocardiograph (ECG) features (fast, broad and irregular) this tachyarrhythmia has been named FBI tachycardia. It can often be diagnosed at the first glance. As it carries the risk to deteriorate into ventricular fibrillation it is a potentially life-threatening clinical condition.