Cardiovascular System II - ECG Flashcards
What is an electrocardiogram (ECG
Measured by electrodes put on skin pick up electrical fields from signals conducted in heart
Describe an ECG
Body fluids are saline, conduct electrical signals well, EKGs recorded from limb leads/chest leads
What do different leads emphasise?
Different aspects of electrical signals
What are the different parts of a heartbeat shown on an ECG?
P wave, PR interva;, QRS complex, S-T segment, T-wave, QT interval
What is the P wave?
Atrial depolarisation
What is the PR interval?
Time from onset of atrial activation to onset of ventricular activation
What is the QRS complex?
Ventricular depolarisation
What is the S-T segment?
Isoelectric, Ventricles before repolarisarion
What is the T-wave?
Ventricular repolarisation
What is the OT interval?
Duration of ventricular activation and recovery
How is the paper divided on an ECG sheet?
Paper divided into small 1mm and large 5mm squares
How many smalls squares in 1 large square?
1 large square = 5 small squares
What length per time does the paper at?
25mm per second
Describe the time calculated from small and large squares
1 small square (1/25) = 0.04sec
1 large square = ⅕ = 0.2 sec
5 large squares = 1 sec
300 large squares = 1 min
What are the steps to calculating heart rate from an ECG sheet?
Count no. large squares btw consecutive beats eg R-R interval
Divide 300 by n.o of large squares in R-R interval
Eg large squares btw 2 beats = 4, 300 large squares = 1 min, time for 1 beat = 4 squares, N.o of beats per min = 300/4
What is an arrythmia?
Abnormalities in heart rhythm
What are the 2 causes of arrythmias?
Malfunction of the conductive system
Abnormal impulse generation (ectopic beats)
Describe malfunction of the conductive system
Partial damage to AV node, lead to heart block causing more than one P wave in each QRS-T complex
Describe abnormal impulse generation
Originate in atria/ventricle in absence of nodal damage/initiate extra systoles