Electrical Conduction Flashcards
What do ECGs record
Voltage over time
Show us magnitude of collective electrical impulse in specified directions
• Standard set up parameters
• provide information on rate, rhythm, axis, conduction, myocardial health
Typical ECG settings
Speed = 25 mm/s
Voltage = 10 mm/mV
1 big voltage square
0.5mV
1 big time square
0.2s
Voltage equation
Current x resistance
I x R
Rate (bpm)
300 / (number of large squares between cardiac cycles)
(cycles in 10s) x 6
Atrial fibrillation
• random atrial activity
• Random ventricular capture
• Irregularly irregular rhythm
• No discernible P wave
Atrial flutter
• organised atrial activity ~ 300/min
• Ventricular capture at ratio to atrial rate (usually 2:1 so 150 bpm)
• Usually regular
• Can be irregular if ratio varies
P wave
Arterial depolarisation
QRS wave
Ventricular depolarisation
T wave
Ventricular repolarisation
Positive deflection
Depolarisation waves moving towards electrode
Negative deflection
Depolarisation waves moving away from electrode
Isoelectric point
0 mV
PR interval
time for impulse to reach ventricles from SAN (AVN delay) - 120-200 ms (3-5 small squares)
• long PR interval- 1st degree heart block due to delayed AV conduction
Length of QRS complex
less than 120ms (3 small squares)
• prolonged QRS - >120 ms - bundle branch block most common cause, problems between left and right ventricle
QT interval
measure of time to ventricular repolarisation men = 350-440 ms / women = 350-460 ms. Most common cause is drugs
ST elevation
S wave does not come back to isoelectric point- important for patients with chest pain
• inferior - blocked right coronary artery
Electrode
Physical connection (stickers) to patient in order to measure potential at that point
• 10 electrodes to record a 12 lead ECG
Lead
Graphical representation of electrical activity in a particular ‘vector’
• Calculated by the machine from electrode signals- seen on ECG trace
• 12 leads for a 12 lead ECG (I-III, aVL, aVF, aVR, V1-6)
Rhythm strip
allows us to give a longer reading over time to allow to look at rhythm (copy of lead II)
Bipolar lead
Measures the potential difference (voltage) between two electrodes
• One electrode designated positive, the other negative- current flows to positive = positive deflection and vice versa
Unipolar lead
Measures the potential difference (voltage) between an electrode (positive) and a combined reference electrode (negative)
• Sometimes known as augmented leads
RL electrode
neutral electrode
• reduces artefact
• Not directly involved in ECG measurement
Normal axis
-30° to +90° of frontal plane
leads I and II positive
Lead I
RA (-ve) → LA (+ve) = positive deflection/ LA → RA = negative deflection
Lead II
RA (-ve) → LL (+ve) = positive deflection/ LL → RA =negative deflection
Lead III
LA (-ve)→LL (+ve) = positive deflection/ LL → LA = negative deflection
3 bipolar limb leads
: I, II, III
3 unipolar limb leads
aVL (towards LA), aVF (towards LL), aVR (towards RA)
6 unipolar chest leads
V1-6)- transverse plane
• V1/2 - septal wall of left ventricle
• V3/4 - anterior wall of left ventricle
• V5/6- lateral wall of left venticle
Which lead Yields complexes that are normally inverted compared to the anterior and inferior leads
aVR
size of one big square on ECG
0.5mm/0.5mm