ECGs Flashcards
State the exact correct location for each chest lead
V1: 4th intercostal space, right sternal edge
V2: 4th intercostal space, left sternal edge
V3: halfway between V2 and V4
V4: 5th intercostal space, mid clavicular line
V5: same level as V4, anterior axillary line
V6: same level as V4, mid axillary line
State 3 common tracing problems
muscle tremor
AC interference
baseline wander
How should the patient be positioned for an ECG
lying at 30 degrees
What is the scale of the ECG tracing:
a) in time horizontally
b) in voltage vertically
a) 1 small box = 0.04s, 1 big box 0.2s
b) 1cm = 1mV
How would you calculate the HR in
a) sinus rhythm
b) sinus tachycardia
c) irregular rhythm
a) 300 / number of big boxes between R waves
b) 1500 / number of small boxes between R waves
c) number of QRS complexes in 30 big boxes (6s) x 10
Starting at 12, go through the leads clockwise in where they measure the heart’s electrical impulses from
aVL (2 o'clock) lead I (3 o'clock) lead II (5 o'clock) aVF (6 o'clock) lead III (7 o'clock) aVR (10 o'clock)
State what will be seen on the ECG in left axis deviation
lead I will be positive, aVF will be negative
State what will be seen on the ECG in right axis deviation
lead I will be negative, aVF will be positive
What is considered a normal PR interval?
120-200ms (3-5 small boxes)
What must the duration of the QRS complex be for it to be considered normal?
<120ms (3 small boxes)
How is the “correct” QT interval for a patient calculated?
QT interval in seconds / square root of RR interval in seconds
AKA Bazett formula
Where is the PR interval measured from - to?
start of P wave to the start of the QRS complex
(from the start of atrial depolarisation to the start of ventricular depolarisation - represents AV nodal delay to allow ventricular filling)
a) What is meant by R wave progression?
b) what is meant by R wave transition?
a) The R wave gradually increasing in size across the chest leads
b) the R wave becoming larger than the S wave (should happen in V4)
What is a supraventricular rhythm?
Any rhythm originating above the AV node (where conducted through it or not)
Therefore likely narrow QRS complex
What is sinus arrhythmia and what is it likely caused by?
ECG meets criteria for sinus rhythm but the rhythm itself is irregular
likely caused by respiration (due to the increased vagal tone)
What is AF and how is it characterised on an ECG?
disorganised electrical activity in atria (therefore impulse no longer SA node throughput atria to AV node)
Characterised by the irregularly irregular rhythm
will see ragged baseline and absent P waves