What do those letters mean?
This wave represents atrial depolarization or contraction.
What is a P wave?
This is known as the heart's pacemaker.
What is the SA node?
All 5 steps of rhythm interpretation are within normal limits for this rhythm.
What is normal sinus rhythm?
This rhythm has a PR interval that is longer than 0.2 seconds.
What is 1st degree AV block?
If the SA node and AV node fail. These two areas have an intrinsic rate of 30-40 and 15-30 respectively. These patients will need intervention.
What is Bundle of His and Purkinje fibers?
This interval is the time it takes for an electrical impulse to travel from the atria to the ventricles.
What is a PR interval?
This rhythm has a rate of less than 60 and the patient is usually stable. The patient may be an athlete or in good health.
What is sinus bradycardia?
This rhythm is irregularly irregular.
What is atrial fibrillation?
For an adult patient the rate is typically 180 beats per minute and you typically cannot see the P waves.
What is SVT?
This rhythm has no P wave or QRS. The ventricles are quivering. The heart is not pumping.
What is ventricular fibrillation?
This complex represents ventricular depolarization and contraction.
What is QRS?
This rhythm's rate is typically 100-150 and caused by a physiological response like dehydration, anxiety or exercise.
What is sinus tachycardia?
This rhythm has a sawtooth atrial pattern between QRS complexes.
What is atrial flutter?
In this rhythm the PR interval progressively lengthens until a P wave is not followed by a QRS complex (drops a beat).
What is Mobitz type I or Wenckebach?
What is a PVC?
This segment represents the time between the end of ventricular depolarization and the start of ventricular repolarization.
This node has an intrinsic rate of 40-60 beats per minute.
What is the AV node?
In this rhythm the P waves are regular and the QRSs are regular, but they have nothing to do with each other. The QRS can appear slow and widened.
What is 3rd degree or complete heart block?
This rhythm is typically uniform with each complex appearing uniform but can be polymorphic. The rate is extremely fast, and the patient may or may not have a pulse.
What is ventricular tachycardia?
This occurs when electrical signals that make the heartbeat are delayed in the heart's electrical system.
What is a bundle branch block?
This wave represents ventricular repolarization.
What is a T wave?
This rhythm does not have a rate.
What is asystole?
A patient has electrical activity on the monitor but does not have a pulse.
What is PEA?
The PR interval is consistent, there is no lengthening. QRS is irregular because there is a dropped beat. It will have a slow rate.
What is Mobitz type II?
What is electrical capture, mechanical capture, and a femoral pulse?