8/4- Electrocardiography at the Bedside 1 Flashcards
What is the PR interval?
Segment from P wave from BEGINNING of the QRS complex (not R wave itself)
1 mm on the EKG corresponds to what?
1 mm = 40 ms (0.04 s) = small box
5 mm on the EKG corresponds to what?
5 mm = 200 ms (0.20 s) = large box
Normal P-R interval = length?
Normal P-R interval = 3-5 small boxes = 120-200 ms
Normal QRS interval = length?
Normal QRS interval = 2-3 small boxes = 80-120 ms
Normal QTc interval = length?
Normal QTc interval = 9-11 small boxes = 360-440 ms (400 +/- 40)
What does QTc refer to?
Corrected QT interval (corrected for heart rate)
Systematic Evaluation of 12 lead ECG (11)?
- Rhythm
- Rate
- QRS axis
- P wave morphology
- P-R interval
- QRS interval
- QT interval
- Chamber enlargement: LVH, RVH
- Pathologic Q waves
- ST and T wave changes
- Precordial R wave progression
What is the range of normal sinus rhythm?
60-100 per minute
What is the R-R interval?
Interval between 2 consecutive QRS complexes
What type of rhythm is shown here? Characteristics?
Atrial fibrillation (until proven otherwise)
- No P wave
- Rhythm is irregular
- Present QRS complexes
Heart rate assessment?
Divide 300 by the R-R interval expressed in number of “large boxes”
If the R-R interval is 400 ms or 2 “large boxes”, what is the heart rate?
HR = 300/2 = 150 bpm
P wave is usually positive in what leads?
P wave is usually positive in all ECG leads except aVR and V1
P wave results from what?
Early RA and late LA depolarization
Abnormal P waves are indicative of what?
- LA enlargement: bifid P wave “P-mitrale” due to delayed left atrial depolarization
- RA enlargement: tall P wave > 2.5mm
Best lead to assess P wave is what?
Lead II or III/aVF
What is this? What causes it?
Bifid or notched P wave in lead II
- Takes longer to fully depolarize the L atrium (delayed portion of P wave is due to longer LA depolarization)
What is this? What does it indicate?
Tall P wave > 2.5 mm in lead II
- Right atrial enlargment
What constitutes a prolonged PR interval? What causes it?
PR > 0.20s
- Block in the AV node delays AV conductions
What are some of the causes of PR elongation? (broadly, 3)
Acquired “reversible” causes
- Drugs
- Acute ischemia or infarction
“Irreversible” causes
- Degenerative or calcific disease of the conduction system (“irreversible”) called Lev’s or Lenegre’s disease
What drugs specifically may cause PR elongation?
- Beta blockers
- Ca channel blockers
- Digoxin
- Amiodarone
- Clonidine
What is Wolf-Parkinson Syndrome?
ECG Triad:
1. Short P-R interval (< 120 ms)
2. Delta wave: an abnormal extra + wave immediately before the QRS complex; slurred initial QRS upstroke
3. Wide QRS complex > 120 ms
Restated:
Syndrome associated with accessory bypass tract (bypassing AV node) which shortens the PR interval
- Also characterized by wide QRS complex (QRS > 0.12) and delta waves (pic s)
What happens to the QRS complex in BBB (bundle branch block)?
QRS complex will have early R wave and one late R’ wave, also called an RSR’ complex
- Will also be widened
((- An initial negative inflection of the QRS complex is the Q wave
- The first positive inflection of the QRS complex is the R wave
- The first negative inflection of the QRS complex is the S wave))