EKG Flashcards
5 Steps for Reading EKG
Rate, Rhythm, Axis, Hypertrophy, Infarction
Rate Method:
300, 150, 100, 75, 60, 50
Bradycardia: cycles/6 sec. strip x 10
Rhythm Method:
identify basic rhythm, then scan tracing for: prematurity, pauses, irregularity, and abnormal waves
Check: P before each QRS, QRS after each P
Check: PR interval (for AV block), QRS interval (for BBB)
if axis deviation, rule out hemiblock
Axis Method:
QRS above or below baseline for axis quadrant (normal vs L and R axis deviation)
For axis in degrees: find isoelectric QRS in limb lead
Axis rotation in Horizontal plane
Hypertrophy Method:
Check V1: P wave for atrial hypertrophy
R wave for right ventricular hypertrophy
S wave depth in V1 + R wave height in V5 for left ventricular hypertrophy
Infarction Method:
Scan all leads for: Q waves Inverted T waves ST segment elevation or depression (find location of pathology and then identify the occluded artery)
Sinus Bradycardia
rate less 60/ min
Sinus Tachycardia
rate more than 100/ min
Normal Sinus Rhythm
60-100/ min
Dissociated Rhythms
sinus rhythm may coexist with independent focus from lower level, determine rate of each
Irregular Rhythms
Sinus Arrhythmia, Wandering Pacemaker, Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia, Atrial Fibrillation,
Sinus Arrhythmia
irregular rhythm that varies with respiration, all P waves are identical, Considered normal
Wandering Pacemaker
Irregular rhythm, P waves change shape as pacemaker location varies, rate under 100/ min
Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia
Irregular rhythm, P waves change shape as pacemaker location varies, rate exceeds 100/ min
Atrial Fibrillation
Irregular Ventricular Rhythm, Erratic atrial spikes (no P waves) from multiple automaticity foci, atrial discharges may be difficult to see
Escape (def)
an unhealthy SA node fails to emit a pacing stimulus (Sinus Block) and an escape beat arises from another automaticity focus
Atrial Escape Beat
pause, P’ wave with QRS, Sinus Resumes Pacing
Junctional Escape Beat
(idojunctional beat) pause, *usually QRS complex without P wave, Sinus Pacing Resume
*retrograde atrial depolarization, may cause inverted P wave
Retrograde Atrial Depolarization
In junctional Escape Beat or Rhythm, junctional depolarization may depolarize the atria from below, causing inverted P wave
Ventricular Escape Beat
pause, massive QRS with no P, Sinus resumes pacing after one beat
Atrial Escape Rhythm
pause, P’ with pacing of 60-80
Junctional Escape Rhythm
pause, *usually no P wave, pacing of 40-60
Ventricular Escape Rhythm
(idioventricular) pause, no P wave, massive QRS, pacing 20-40
Premature Beat
an irritable automaticity focus suddenly discharges a single stimulus
Atrial and Junctional irritants
epinephrine release sympathetic stimulation caffeine or other stimulants excess digitalis, some toxins, ethanol hyperthyroidism stretch (low 02)
Premature Atrial Beat (PAB)
P’ wave produces earlier than expected, produced by atrial focus, may hide in the T wave, resets pacing of SA node (one cycle length
PAB with aberrant ventricular conduction
one of the ventricles has not depolarized yet, creating a wide QRS,
premature P’ with widened QRS (SA pacing one cycle length)
non-conducted PAB
AV node is in refractory phase, therefore no QRS
premature P’ with no QRS (SA pacing one cycle length)
Atrial Bigeminy
PAB coupled to end of each normal cycle
Atrial Trigeminy
PAB coupled after each normal cycle of two
Premature Junctional Beat
premature beat, no P*
may have retrograde atrial depolarization
may have aberrant ventricular depolarization
Junctional Bigeminy
PJB after each normal cycle
Junctional Trigeminy
PJB after each cycle of two normal beats
Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC)
no P’, giant ventricular complex, usually opposite of normal QRS
Ventricular Irritants
low O2
Ventricular Bigeminy
PVC attached to each normal beat
Ventricular Trigeminy
PVC attached to each set of two normal beats
Ventricular Quadrigeminy
PVC attached to each set of three normal beats
Pathological PVC
6 PVC’s per minute
Ventricular Parasystole
Ventricular focus with entrance block, dual pacing of ventricle and SA node
Multifocal PVC’s
PVC’s from multiple foci, each will have different, distinguishable QRS complex
Mitral Valve Prolapse
mitral valve billows into left atrium during ventricular systole, causes PVC’s, considered benign