ECGs Flashcards
Describe the relative speed the action potentials, generated in the SA node conduct through:
i. Atria
ii. AV node
iii. Bundle of his
iv. Purkinje fibres
i. Rapid
ii. Relatively slowly.
iii. Very rapidly
iv. Rapidly.
Define what an ECG is.
A recording of potential changes,detected by electrodes positioned on the body surface, that allows the electrical activity of the heart to monitored.
What is responsible in the heart for generating a sufficient current which is detectable at the body surface?
Atrial and ventricular muscles
What does electrical activity within and between cardiac muscle cells cause what?
- current flow within the heart
- current flow within surrounding tissues.
- potential differences between distant sites on the body surface - this can be detected by electrodes placed on the skin connected to a ECG
What does the electrical dipole represent?
An electrical vector
What properties does an electrical vector have?
ii. why is this important?
- Magnitude
- Direction
ii. clinically it allows for the electrical axis of the heart to be estimated
What is the ECG lead?
It is the lead axis (imaginary line) between two or more electrodes.
It is NOT the wire that is connected to the ECG
What happens when depolarisation moves towards the recording electrode?
Upward deflection on the ECG.
What happens when depolarisation moves away from the recording electrode?
downward deflection on the ECG.
What is the 12 lead ECG made of?
- Three standard limb leads - bipolar (I,II and III)
- Three augmented voltage leads-unipolar - aVR (right) avF (foot) aVL (left)
- Six chest leads- precordial leads (V1-V6)
Where do you place the standard limb leads?
ii. What is the pattern refered to as
- Lead 1 - chest (Right arm to left arm)- left arm is recording electrode
- Lead 2- right arm (Right arm to left leg)- left leg is recording electrode
- lead 3- left arm (Left arm to left leg)- left leg is recording electrode
ii. Einthoven’s triangle
Lead 2 sees the heart from which
direction?
Inferior.
What does the P wave represent in Lead II?
ii. How long is its normal duration
Shows atrial depolarisation.
as it moves inferiorly and to the left it moves towards the Lead II recording electrode (upward deflection)
ii. 0.12 seconds or less
What does QRS complex represent?
ii. How fast is it?
i. Ventricular activation.
ii. 0.1 s or less
Describe the movement of action potentials creating the QRS complex in Lead II.
- ventricular depolarization starts in the interventricular septum and spreads from left to right causing the small and narrow Q wave.
Moves AWAY from recording electrodes
- subsequently the main free walls of the ventricles depolarize causing a tall and narrow R wave
Move TOWARDS recording electrodes
- the ventricles at the base of the heart depolarize, producing a small and narrow S wave.
Moves AWAY from recording electrodes
What does the T wave represent in Lead II?
ii. Why is the T waves upward reflection different to the others on the ECG?
Ventricular repolarisation.
ii. ventricular repolarization refers to the negative charge moving away from recording electrode (i.e equivalent to positive charge moving towards it)
What is the Goldberger’s method?
refers to placement of augmented voltage leads
one +ve electrode (recording), two others linked as –ve. This effectively positions the reference (linked) electrode in the center of the heart to which the recording electrodes ‘look’
What is difference between augmented leads and standard limb leads
Augmented leads axes’ subtend the angles of einthoven’s triangle
The chest leads view the heart on different positions on which plane?
Horizontal plane.
What are the roles of the 6 chest leads?
V1 and 2 coming from the right, are ‘looking’ at the interventricular septum
V3 and 4 are ‘looking’ at the anterior of the heart
V5 and 6 are ‘looking’ at the lateral aspect (left ventricle) of the heart
What is the first positive defection in the QRS complex at V1
ii. What happens to this towards the V6 leads
R wave
ii. R wave Increases
What is the immediate negative deflection after the R wave in V1?
ii. what happens to this towards the V6 lead?
S wave
ii. S wave decreases
How can you an ECG trace to calculate:
- The heart rate.
- Either 300/ number of large square between two R waves
What is the ECG rhythm strip and what is its role?
- Prolonged record of one lead
2. Allows you to determine heart rate and identify the cardiac rhythm.
Why do we need 12 leads?
- Determine axis of the heart in thorax
- Look for any ST segment or T wave changes in relation to specific regions of the heart. This is crucial for diagnosing ischaemic heart disease.
- Looking for any voltage criteria changes.