Final answer:
The cardiac monitor indicates a condition likely to be ventricular fibrillation, which is an emergency where the heart has uncoordinated electrical activity and is not pumping effectively, requiring immediate use of an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Step-by-step explanation:
A patient brought into the emergency department without a pulse and an abnormal rhythm on the cardiac monitor could be experiencing one of several conditions. The options given are ventricular tachycardia, Torsade de pointes, asystole, and ventricular fibrillation. To determine the condition, one must look at the characteristics of the rhythm displayed on the monitor. Since the description includes cessation of electrical activity or fibrillation where the heart beats in an uncontrolled manner, and given that the ventricles are not effectively pumping blood, this indicates ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation is a condition where there is no effective pumping by the ventricles due to uncoordinated electrical activity, often requiring immediate defibrillation. An automated external defibrillator (AED) would be used to deliver an electrical charge to the heart in hopes of restarting a normal sinus rhythm.