EKG Exam 3 -- Practicum

Wolff-Parkinson White (Pre-Excitation Syndrome)

1. Shortened PR-interval
2. Delta-waves
Through Bundle of Kent

WPW Example:

Lown-Ganong-Levine (Pre-Excitation Syndrome)

1. Shortened PR-interval
2. No delta wave
3. Narrow QRS
Through James Fiber

WPW and SVT:

1. Presents as narrow complex SVT; or
2. Wide and bizarre SVT that resembles V-tach
AVRT forms through the Bundle of Kent

WPW and Atrial Fibrillation

1. Presents as rapid A-fib
2. Can induce V-fib
3. Rare
Bundle of Kent acts as a conduit for chaotic activity

Atrial Pacemaker

Pacer spikes fire BEFORE p-waves

Ventricular Pacemaker

Right ventricle contracts before the left

Dual Chamber Pacemaker

Features 2 different chamber spikes

Lateral Ischemia

ST depressions in the lateral leads

Progression of a STEMI

1. Immediate: T-wave peaking
2. Immediate: T-wave inversion
3. 0-24 hrs: ST elevation
4. Hrs-days: patholgic Q-wave; T-wave inversion
Q-wave will remain; but T-wave will eventually normalize

Ischemia vs repolarization

1. Ischemic T-waves are symmetrical
2. Repolarization is downsloping

T-wave changes during a STEMI

1. Reflects myocardial ischemia
2. Inversion is symmetrical

STEMI vs J-point

J-point goes down before coming back up

Reciprocal changes

A lead distant from an infarct records an ST depression

Hyperkalemia

Peaked, tented T-waves; loss of P-waves

Progression of hyperkalemia

Can degrade to V-fib

Advanced hyperkalemia with sine waves

Early stages of V-tach

Hypokalemia

1. Flattened T-waves
2. U-waves (sometimes)

Another example of hypokalemia

Flattened T-waves in every lead

Hypocalcemia

1. T-wave flattening
2. Prolonged QT-interval
3. Shortened PR-interval
Increased risk of Torsades

Hypercalcemia

1. Shortened QT-interval
Don't confuse with STEMI

Hypothermia

1. Sinus bradycardia
2. Prolonged segments and intervals
3. Distinct ST elevation (J wave; Osborne wave)

Digitalis effect

1. ST depression with gradual downslope (Dali)
2. T-wave flattening or inversion

Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia (PAT)

1. Can not distinguish from other SVTs
2. Normal or caused by digitalis toxicity

Acute Pericarditis

Diffuse ST-elevations, T-wave changes, and PR-depressions in multiple leads

Pericardial Effusion

Low voltage waveforms

Electrical Alternans

1. Heart rotates freely within fluid filled sac
2. Waveform amplitude varies from beat to beat
Severe pericardial effusion

COPD

1. Low voltage
2. Right axis deviation
3. Poor R-wave progression
4. Right atial enlargement

Acute PE

1. Right ventricular hypertrophy
2. S1Q3T3
3. Tachycardia
4. RBBB

Brugada Syndrome

1. RBBB
2. ST-elevation in V1, V2, V3
Can degrade to V-tach