Arrhythmia Flashcards
Explain the guide for interpreting an electrocardiogram (ECG) reading.
Answer: The guide for interpreting an ECG reading is as follows:
- 0.04 s represents a small box on the ECG.
- 5 small boxes make up 1 big box.
- 5 small boxes multiplied by 0.04 s equals 0.20 s.
- Therefore, 0.20 s represents 1 big box on the ECG.
What is supraventricular tachycardia?
Answer: refers to any arrhythmia occurring above the ventricles in the heart.
What are the two types of supraventricular tachycardia?
Answer:
Sinus tachycardia: SA node firing too fast.
Atrial tachycardia: Irritable atrial firing to the AV node before the SA node fires towards the AV node.
What are the different types of atrial tachycardia?
Answer:
- Focal Atrial Tachycardia: One area firing consistently, ectopic focus.
- Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia: Three areas firing.
Atrial fibrillation: Faster than multifocal atrial tachycardia. - Atrial flutter: Near the tricuspid valve, creates a re-entry circuit.
What is paroxysmal SVT?
Answer:
refers to arrhythmias that include AVNRT (Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia) and AVRT (Atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia).
It may also involve focal atrial tachycardia.
- What causes ventricular tachycardia?
Answer: is caused by an irritable area in the ventricle that generates abnormal electrical activity.
What are the types of ventricular tachycardia?
Answer:
- Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia: Most common type, involving one location of an irritable area that’s firing.
- Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia: Involves multiple locations of irritable areas that are firing.
- Normal QT-Interval
- Prolonged QT-Interval (Torsades de Pointes): characterized by twisting of the points.
What is ventricular fibrillation?
Answer: Ventricular fibrillation is a condition where multiple ectopic foci within the ventricles are firing simultaneously, leading to chaotic and ineffective heart contractions.
What is the characteristic of ventricular fibrillation?
Answer: characterized by the presence of reentry circuits.
Which part of the nervous system innervates the heart and influences its automaticity?
Answer: The parasympathetic nervous system, specifically the vagus nerve (CN 10), innervates the heart and influences its automaticity.
What is the effect of increased sympathetic nervous system activity on automaticity?
Answer: increased automaticity in the heart.
What are the factors that can cause an increase in automaticity in tachyarrhythmias?
Answer:
- sympathetic nervous system stimulation (T1-L2),
- hypovolemia,
- hypoxia,
- sympathomimetic drugs,
- pain/anxiety, and
- increased metabolic activity.
What is triggered activity in tachyarrhythmias?
Answer:
the presence of an irritable area in the myocardium (atrium/ventricle) that initiates abnormal conduction,
- starting from an ectopic area instead of the SA-AV node pathway.
What is the difference between early afterdepolarizations (EADs) and delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs)?
Answer:
- EADs occur when an irritable cell fires during or immediately after repolarization,
- while DADs occur when an irritable cell fires right after the latter phase of repolarization.
What are some causes or etiologies associated with EADs and DADs?
Answer:
- EADs: Electrolyte imbalances (hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia) and certain drugs (anti-arrhythmics, antibiotics, antipsychotics, antidepressants, antiemetics).
- DADs: Underlying ischemia, underlying hypoxia, inflammation, stretched-out myocardium, and increased sympathetic tone.
What arrhythmias are associated with EADs and DADs?
Answer:
- EADs: Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia with prolonged QT interval or Torsades de pointes.
- DADs: Multifocal atrial tachycardia, focal atrial tachycardia, and monomorphic or polymorphic ventricular tachycardia with normal QT intervals.
What is a re-entry circuit in tachyarrhythmias?
Answer: A re-entry circuit refers to an abnormal conduction pathway that allows electrical impulses to circulate within the heart, leading to the perpetuation of tachyarrhythmias.
What is AVRT and what is the underlying abnormality associated with it?
Answer:
- AVRT (Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia) is a type of re-entry circuit that occurs due to the presence of an abnormal accessory pathway between the atria and ventricles.
- This pathway is known as the bundle of Kent, and it is commonly seen in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome.
What are the two types of AVRT and how do they differ?
Answer:
- Orthodromic AVRT: In this type, conduction starts at the AV node and proceeds down the normal pathway, but it doesn’t stop at the ventricles and continues to go up the atria via the bundle of Kent. This results in a narrow QRS complex on the ECG.
- Antidromic AVRT: In this less common but more lethal type, conduction starts at the SA node and proceeds through the accessory pathway (bundle of Kent) to the ventricles, then back up to the atria. This produces a wide QRS complex on the ECG.
What is AVNRT and what are the possible causes of this condition?
Answer:
* AVNRT (Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia) is another type of re-entry circuit that occurs within the AV node itself.
- Possible causes of AVNRT include scarring in the AV node (e.g., due to myocardial infarction or heart surgery), idiopathic fibrosis (common in older individuals), and other factors leading to abnormal pathways within the AV node.
Describe the two pathways involved in AVNRT and their characteristics.
Answer:
Alpha pathway: This pathway within the AV node is responsible for slow conduction. During its downward pathway, the beta pathway repolarizes, and the alpha pathway joins with the beta pathway to form a cycle. The alpha pathway has a short refractory period, resulting in quicker repolarization.
Beta pathway: This pathway within the AV node is responsible for fast conduction toward the bundle of His, bundle branches, and ventricles. It circles around to go up to the beta pathway while the alpha pathway cancels it going down. The beta pathway has a long refractory period, leading to slower repolarization.
What arrhythmias are associated with abnormal re-entry circuits at the tricuspid valve?
Answer:
Atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation are arrhythmias associated with abnormal re-entry circuits at the tricuspid valve.
- In atrial flutter, the re-entry circuit is located at the cavotricuspid isthmus,
- while in atrial fibrillation, multiple irritable areas within the atria create their own circuits, leading to chaotic atrial activation.
What is the difference between ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation in terms of the re-entry circuit?
Answer:
- In ventricular tachycardia, there is an irritable area in the ventricle that generates abnormal activity, resulting in a re-entry circuit involving a single area within the ventricle.
- In ventricular fibrillation, there are multiple ectopic foci within the ventricles that are firing simultaneously, creating multiple re-entry circuits and leading to chaotic and ineffective ventricular contractions.
What are the causes of heart blocks?
- Heart blocks are conduction blocks in the atrioventricular (AV) node, leading to a loss of electrical activity connection between the atria and ventricles.
- Causes of heart blocks include inferior wall myocardial infarction, fibrotic AV node, hyperkalemia, certain medications (such as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and digoxin), infiltrative diseases (amyloidosis, sarcoidosis), and Lyme’s disease.
What is the pathophysiology behind decreased automaticity in bradyarrhythmias?
- Decreased automaticity in bradyarrhythmias can result from increased parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) or vagal tone.
- Stimulation of the PSNS releases acetylcholine (ACh) to the SA node, leading to an increase in potassium (K+) and hyperpolarization.
- This slows conduction to the AV node and subsequently decreases the heart rate (HR).
How does conduction block contribute to bradyarrhythmias?
- Conduction block refers to the interruption of electrical conduction, particularly in the AV node.
- It can shut down AV conduction and result in bradyarrhythmias. Causes of conduction block include inferior wall myocardial infarction, fibrotic AV node, hyperkalemia, certain medications, infiltrative diseases, and Lyme’s disease.
What is sick sinus syndrome (SSS) and its associated rhythm abnormalities?
- Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is a condition characterized by dysfunctional firing of the SA node.
- It can result from fibrosis, myocardial scarring, or intrinsic problems of the SA node.
- SSS leads to sinus bradycardia as the SA node fails to fire as fast as it should.
- Compensatory mechanisms may lead to episodes of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), including atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, or premature atrial contractions.
What does the irregular presence of P-waves after QRS complexes indicate?
The irregular presence of P-waves after QRS complexes suggests a 2nd degree heart block, specifically Mobitz Type I (Wenckebach).
What pattern of P-wave presence and absence suggests Mobitz Type II in a 2nd degree heart block?
If P-waves are present and absent in a consistent pattern, it indicates a 2nd degree heart block, Mobitz Type II.
What is the 2:1 variant of Mobitz Type II 2nd degree heart block?
The 2:1 variant of Mobitz Type II 2nd degree heart block refers to a pattern where every other P-wave is conducted to the ventricles, resulting in a 2:1 ratio of P-waves to QRS complexes.
How can you identify a 3rd degree heart block on an EKG?
A 3rd degree heart block is characterized by the absence of P-waves and the presence of a wider QRS complex.
How can you determine the timing of the PR-interval in bradyarrhythmias?
By analyzing the EKG, you can assess the timing of the PR-interval, which is the interval between the P-wave and the QRS complex.