Cardiac Rhythm Analysis Flashcards
What are the standard limb leads?
Lead 1 –> RA Neg, LA Pos
Lead 2 –> RA Neg, LL Pos
Lead 3 –> LA Neg, LL Pos
What are bipolar and unipolar leads?
Three standard leads are bipolar, chest leads are unipolar
What does P wave represent?
Atrial depolarization. Normal is smooth, rounded, upright, no more than 2.5mm high
What does PR interval represent?
Time taken from atrial depolarization and delay in conduction at the AV node.
Normal is 0.12 - 0.20 seconds
What does QRS complex represent?
Ventricular depolarization. Normal is 0.06 - 0.10 secs
What do Q waves represent?
Ventricular septum depolarization.
Should be less than 1 box wide and less than 1/4 height of the following R wave, or it is pathological.
What does ST segment represent?
End of ventricular depolarization and beginning of ventricular repolarization. Starts at J point, depression or elevation is anything +- 1mm from the isoelectric line
What does ST elevation represent?
Myocardial injury, pericarditis (Global ST), ventricular aneurysm, electrolyte imbalances
What does ST depression represent?
Myocardial ischemia, NSTEMI, electrolyte imbalance
What does T wave represent?
Ventricular repolarization.
In first 1/2, cells are in absolute refractory.
Normal T wave is upright, rounded, less than 5 boxes in height and larger than P waves.
What does a peaked T wave represent?
Myocardial infarction or hyperkalemia
What does a negative / inverted T wave represent?
Myocardial ischemia, subarachnoid bleed
What does a flattened T wave represent?
Hypokalemia
What is the QT interval?
Duration of ventricular depolarization and repolarization, in NSR should not exceed 0.44 secs. Should be 1/2 of RR.
What does lengthened QT interval represent?
Longer refractory period, caused by electrolyte imbalances, hypothermia, meds (amiodarone, haloperidol, antibiotics, antidepressants)