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Gloucestershire Heart Failure Service ECG Interpretation Adrian Strain Heart Failure Specialist Nurse. Aims. The normal adult ECG Barn door MI Inferior / Lateral / Anterior Blocks I º / IIº / IIIº (CHB) Bundle Branch Block (Left and Right) Atrial tachycardia Atrial fibrillation .
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Gloucestershire Heart Failure ServiceECG InterpretationAdrian StrainHeart Failure Specialist Nurse
Aims • The normal adult ECG • Barn door MI • Inferior / Lateral / Anterior • Blocks • Iº / IIº / IIIº (CHB) • Bundle Branch Block (Left and Right) • Atrial tachycardia • Atrial fibrillation
Normal Sinus Rhythm – the rules! • P before every QRS • PR interval <0.2 seconds (5 baby squares) • QRS after every P wave • QRS <0.12 seconds (3 baby squares) • Regular and identical • Rate 60-100 bpm • <60 bpm – sinus bradycardia • >100 bpm – sinus tachycardia
Reporting an ECG • Rhythm • Conduction intervals • Cardiac axis • Description of QRS complexes • Description of ST segments and T waves
Reporting an ECG • Rhythm • Conduction intervals • Cardiac axis • Description of QRS complexes • Description of ST segments and T waves
ST Elevation - Myocardial Infarction • ST elevation in two or more leads • Must be at least 1mm in limb leads • Must be at least 2mm in chest leads • Thrombolysis • Chest pain! • Present within 12 hours of onset of pain • No contraindication
ST depression • >2mm usually indicates ischemia • Common in normal ECG, especially in pregnancy • But: • Non specific not more than 2mm below baseline • It is convex downward or slopes upwards from the S wave
The leads • II III and avF - inferior leads • I avL V5 and V6 - lateral leads • V3 and V4 - anterior leads • V1 and V2 - septal leads
Heart blocks – First Degree AV block • PR interval > 0.2 seconds • Treatment rarely required • Caution when introducing / titrating beta blocker and other rate reducing agents • Regular ECG’s to monitor !!
Second Degree AV block • Mobitz type I – Wenckeback • Progressive lengthening of P-R interval • Most patients are asymptomatic • May experience dizziness or syncope • May have chest pain if myocarditis or ischemic • May have history of structural heart disease.
Second Degree AV block • Mobitz type II – • Characterised by unexpected nonconducted atrial impulses • PR and R-R intervals between conducted beats are constant. • Commononly caused by MI • Risk of progressing to complete heart block
Complete Heart Block • Third Degree – Complete AV block • Complete dissociation between P’s and QRS’s • Often bradycardic!! • Will require pacing
SVT – Supraventricular tachycardia‘palpitations’ • Narrow and fast • Impulse is generated from above the ventricles • Essentially it is an atrial tachycaria
Remember • There is no such thing as slow AF.. • All AF is fast – • The ventricular rate may however be slow. • Rate reducing agents include Beta Blockers, Amioderone, Digoxin and calcium channel blocker
Summary • Follow the rules • Rhythm • Conduction • Describe QRS complex • Describe ST & T wave • Identify if normal • If abnormal – think why! • Symptomatic? • MI – AF – BBB – heart failure – enlarged heart – etc.