Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

Gail Walraven

Basic ArrhythmiasSeventh Edition

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

Chapter 3Analyzing EKG Rhythm Strips

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

To Analyze EKG rhythm strip

• Use organized format to collect available clues

• Compare information collected to rules for each arrhythmia

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

Systematic Approach to Arrhythmia Interpretation

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

Calculating Heart Rate – Regular Rhythms

• Count number of large squares between two R waves and divide into 300, or

• Count number of small squares between two R waves and divide into 1500

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

Calculating Heart Rates

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

Figuring Rates Based on the Number of QRS Complexes in a 6-Second Strip

• Count number of R waves in a 6-second strip and multiply by 10

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

Rhythm Strip Analysis Format

• Regularity (Rhythm)

• Rate

• P Waves

• PR Intervals

• QRS Complexes

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

Regularity (Rhythm)

• Is it regular?

• Is it irregular?

• Are there any patterns to the irregularity?

• Are there any ectopic beats; if so, are they early or late?

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

P Waves

• Are P waves regular?• Is there one P wave for every QRS?• Is P wave in front of QRS or behind it?• Is P wave normal and upright in Lead II?• Are there more P waves than QRS

complexes?• Do all P waves look alike?• Are irregular P waves associated with

ectopic beats?

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

PR Interval

• Are all PRIs constant?

• Is PRI measurement within normal range?

• If PRI varies, is there a pattern to changing measurements?

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

QRS Complex

• Are all QRS complexes of equal duration?

• What is the measurement of QRS complex?

• Is QRS measurement within normal limits?

• Do all QRS complexes look alike?• Are unusual QRS complexes

associated with ectopic beats?

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

Chapter 3 Practice Strips

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.1

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.2

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.3

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.4

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.5

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

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Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.7

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.8

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

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Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.10

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.11

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.12

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.13

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.14

Gail Walraven, Basic Arrhythmias, Seventh Edition©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3.15