Basic ECG Interpretation Flashcards
PR Interval
What’s happening?
How long?
P wave: atrial depolarization
PR: time required for the impulse to travel through the AV node, where it is delayed and through the bundle of His, bundle branches and purkinje fibers
PR interval: interval: time required for atrial depolarization as well as impulse travel through the conduction system and purkinje fibers,
PR: 0.12-.20 (5 small blocks)
QRS Complex
What’s happening?
How long?
QRS: ventricular depolarization and is measured from the beginning of the Q – or R wave to the end of the S wave
QRS: .04-.10 (3 small blocks)
ST Segment
What’s happening?
How long?
ST segment represents early ventricular repolarization
ST segment: baseline
T Wave
What’s happening?
T wave: represents ventricular repolarization
Analyzing a strip
Steps 1-2
Determine HR
Determine rhythm: is it regular?
Analyze P waves
Step 3, five characteristics
Are p waves present?
Are P waves occurring regularly?
Is there one P wave for every QRS complex?
Do the p waves look rounded, smooth and upright?
Do they all look the same?
Analyzing a strip
Steps 4-5
Measure the PR
Measure the QRS duration
ST Segment
? indicative of ischemia
?indicative of myocardial injury/cell death
Is it on the baseline?
ST depression and T wave inversion are indicative of ischemia
ST elevation, T wave inversion, and formation of Q wave are indicative of myocardial injury/cell death
One small square=
One large square=
Five large squares=
One small square= 0.04 second
One large square= 0.2 second
Five large squares= 1 second
Bradycardia
Rate less than 60
Everything else is normal
ATRIAL DYSRHYTHMIAS
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
PREMATURE ATRIAL CONTRACTION
SINUS TACHYCARDIA
VENTRICULAR DYSRHYTHMIAS
MULTIFOCAL PVC
VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA
VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION
