Electrocardiography Flashcards
ECG (EKG)
measures the electrical activity of the heart and is used to determine heart rate and conduction disturbances. It may also give information on the size of the heart chambers, myocardial hypoxia, and electrolyte imbalances.
What is the normal pacemaker of the heart?
Sinus node
What are the artifacts seen on an EKG?
60Hz electrical interference
Movement: Panting, trembling, respiration, or purring
If the P wave is too wide
Left Atrial Enlargment
IF the P wave is too high
Right Atrial Enlargement
If the P waves is too tall and too wide
Biatrial Enlargement
If the R wave is too tall and the P wave is too wide
Left Ventricular enlargement
Deep S wave
Right ventricular enlargement
Right Bundle Branch Block
a delay in conduction in the right bundle branch results in delayed activation of the right ventricle causing the QRS complex to widen the large wide S waves
What causes Right Bundle Branch Block?
Cardiac Trauma Infections Neoplasia Infarction Fibrosis
Left Bundle Branch Block
the left ventricle is activated later than normal and the QRS complexes are prolonged
Wide QRS complex, Deep S wave, and normal R wave
Left Bundle Branch Block
What causes Low voltage QRS complexes?
obesity pleural or pericardial effusion hypothyroidism pneumothorax diffuse myocardial disease
Electrical Alterans
if the heart is rotating in a sac of fluid due to pericardial effusion this causes the electrical current to change directions and the R wave changes heights
What can causes changes in the Q-T Interval?
Calcium
Potassium
Drugs (Digoxin, antiarrhythmic drugs, antibiotics, drugs used to modifiy behavior)
What causes the T wave to become tall and spiked?
Hyperkalemia
Arrhythmia
abnormality in the rate, rhythm or flow depolarization through the heart
Sinus rhythm
Normal cardiac rhythm
Sinus arrhythmia
normal P wave for every normal QRS complex but the R-R interval varies. Commonly associated with Respiration. the heart rate increased with inspiration and decreases with expiration
What breeds do sinus arrhythmias occur in?
brachycephalic breeds
What will exaggerate a sinus arrhythmia?
Ocular pressure or manipulation of the viscera during surgery
Wandering Atrial Pacemaker
P waves are not initiated by the SA node
The P-R interval is decreased and the amplitude/morphology of the P waves are variable. Conduction spreads from the left atria to the right atria
What is the treatment for a Wandering Atrial Pacemaker?
No treatment
Atropine needed for surgery
Sinus Bradycardia
ventricular rate is too slow
What is Sinus Bradycardia seen with?
exaggerated parasympathetic (vagal) tone conditions in the heart drugs electrolyte abnormalities hypothyroidism
Treatment of Sinus Bradycardia
Stop or correct drug dosage
check electrolytes and thyroid
Atropine response test
Insert a pacemaker
Sinus Arrest
sinus rhythm is disrupted by occasional, prolonged failure of the SA node to initiate one or more impulses If the sinus arrest is prolonged the AV junctional or Purkinje or ventricular tissues may temporarily assume pacemaker function
Escape Beats
If the sinus arrest is prolonged the AV junctional or Purkinje or ventricular tissues may temporarily assume pacemaker function
Ventricular escape beats
originate from the ventricles
the QRS Complex is wide and bizzare
Diagnosis of Sinus Arrest
Holter monitoring/ cardiac event monitoring
Treatment of Sinus Arrest
Terbutaline isopropamide isoproterenol Probanthine Insert a pacemaker
What causes Hyperkalemia?
Renal Failure
Muscle Damage
hypoadrenocorticism
Diabetic ketoacidosis
T waves become tall and spiked, P waves become smaller and then disappear, QRS complex are prolonged and sinusoidal
Hyperkalemia
Treatment for Hyperkalemia
Sodium bicarbonate
glucose/insulin
calcium gluconate
How does calcium gluconate treat hyperkalemia?
lowers the resting membrane potential away from the threshold potential and thereby prevents fibrillation/asystole
A-V Block
delay or failure in impulse transmission from the atria to the ventricles