Rhythm strips

Question 0

Sinus bradycardia

Answer 0

Rate less than 60,
Regular,
P waves upright in most leads, p-p interval regular
PR 0.12-0.20, constant from beat to beat

Question 1

Sinus rhythm

Answer 1

Rate 60-100, 
regular, 
upright P waves in most leads, 
p-p interval regular
qrs <0.12

Question 2

Sinus tachycardia

Answer 2

HR 101-160
Regular
P waves upright in most leads, one P to each QRS, shaped the same, p-p interval is regular
PR 0.12-0.20' constant
QRS <0.12 second

Question 3

Sinus arrhythmia

Answer 3

Sinus rhythm except the HR is not regular.

Question 4

Sinus arrest

Answer 4

Rate: can occur at any rate
Regular rate interrupted by a pause, lower pace maker may escape. Narrow qrs (no p wave!) indicate junction all escape beat, wide qrs indicates ventricular escape beat

Question 5

Sinus block (sinus exit block)

Answer 5

The sinus node fires on time but the impulse’s exit from the sinus node to the atrial tissue is blocked. The pause is a multiple of the previous R-R interval.

Question 6

If a rhythm meets any or all of these criteria then it is ATRIAL in origin:

Answer 6

> 160 bpm rate, matching upright p waves
No P waves at all, wavy or sawtooth baseline instead
P waves of >=three different shapes
Premature abnormal P wave (with or without QRS) interrupting another rhythm
HR greater than or equal to 130, regular, cannot discern p waves