EKG Strips Flashcards

Atrial Flutter: Characterized by a "saw tooth" pattern with F-waves instead of P waves; F-waves may exist in various ratios to QRS complexes.
Atrial Fibrillation: Displays chaotic atrial electrical activity with no P waves, replacing them with f-waves; irregular R-R intervals are common.

Premature Junctional Contractions (PJCs): Cause rhythm irregularities; inverted P waves may be present but often go unobserved due to their low voltage.
Junctional Rhythm: May show an inverted or absent P wave. The rate ranges between 40-60 bpm.
Accelerated Junctional Rhythm: Similar to Junctional Rhythm, but with a rate of 60-100 bpm.
Junctional Tachycardia: Inverted or absent P wave; this rhythm typically has a rate between 100-180 bpm.

SVT: Features a normal-narrow QRS complex with a heart rate over 150 bpm; P waves may be obscured at higher heart rates, requiring increased paper speed for clarity.

First Degree AV Block: Characterized by a constant PR interval greater than 0.20 seconds.
Second Degree AV Block (Mobitz I/Wenckebach): Involves a cyclical PR interval that progressively lengthens until a QRS complex is dropped; mnemonic: "lengthen, lengthen, drop."
Second Degree AV Block (Type II): Maintains a constant PR interval with occasional QRS dropouts.
Third Degree (Complete) Heart Block: P-P and R-R intervals are regular but firing at different rates, indicating a loss of coordination between atrial and ventricular activity.

T Wave Inversion: Indicates ischemia, typically seen with ST segment elevation.
Myocardial Injury: Characterized by T wave inversion and ST elevation on a 12-lead ECG.
Physiologic Q wave: Normal width <0.04 seconds and depth <1/3 the height of the R wave.
Pathologic Q wave: Indicates infarction, with a width ≥0.04 seconds or depth ≥1/3 the height of the R wave.

Ventricular Tachycardia (VT): Exhibits wide, bizarre QRS complexes with a rate exceeding 100 bpm and no P waves.
Ventricular Fibrillation: Characterized by a complete absence of organized electrical activity, resulting in chaotic tracings with no P, QRS, or T waves.
Asystole: Defined by a total lack of ventricular activity, appearing as a flat line on monitoring strips; signifies absence of electrical activity.

Atrial Pacemaker Rhythm: Identified by a pacing spike before the P wave, indicating atrial depolarization.
Ventricular Pacemaker Rhythm: Recognized by a pacing spike preceding the QS complex, marking ventricular depolarization.
Atrioventricular Pacemaker Rhythm: Shows pacing spikes before both the atrial depolarization (P wave) and ventricular depolarization (QS complex).

Bundle Branch Block: Maintains usual rhythm characteristics, but the QRS complex duration is 0.12 seconds or longer.

ST Segment Depression: Occurs when the ST segment is below the isoelectric line, indicating possible myocardial ischemia.
Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs): Early QRS complexes that are wide and bizarre with no preceding P wave; PVCs can vary in shape, necessitating rhythm identification for accurate interpretation.