EKG Dictionary
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Junctional & ventricular rhythms

Ventricular couplet

Also calledcouplet · paired PVCs · ventricular pair · PVC couplet · PVC pair

Definition

Two consecutive premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) occurring back to back with no intervening sinus beat. Each complex arises from an ectopic focus in the ventricles and is usually premature, abnormally shaped and wide (QRS more than 120 ms), with a discordant T wave. Three or more consecutive ventricular complexes at a rate above 100 bpm are instead classified as ventricular tachycardia.

Sources

  1. Koester C, Ibrahim AM, Cancel M, Labedi MR. The ubiquitous premature ventricular complex. Cureus. 2020;12(1):e6585. doi.org/10.7759/cureus.6585
  2. Al-Khatib SM, Stevenson WG, Ackerman MJ, et al. 2017 AHA/ACC/HRS guideline for management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death: executive summary. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;72(14):1677-1749. doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.10.053

Last reviewed 2 October 2026. Every definition in the EKG Dictionary cites the guideline, consensus statement or original paper it comes from.

More in Junctional & ventricular rhythms

Accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIVR) Accelerated junctional rhythm Coupling interval Idioventricular rhythm Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) Junctional escape rhythm Junctional rhythm Junctional tachycardia Monomorphic VT Polymorphic VT Premature ventricular contraction (PVC) R-on-T phenomenon Retrograde P wave Torsades de pointes Ventricular bigeminy Ventricular fibrillation Ventricular tachycardia (VT) Ventricular trigeminy

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