ECG

[rothers35]

I recently went to my GP he sounded my chest and heart and told me I had an unusual heart beat that was running slow. He got an ECG done and when he read it he said there was no activity on the F line and ordered an ambulance to take me to hospital there was a lot of tests carried out and an overnight stay. The head of the Cardio Unit was doing his rounds and said that he wasn't concerned about the F line and I could go home. I can't find anything to read about the F line so could somebody explain it to me please.

[jennydog]

Last week I received a copy of the letter which my EP sent to my GP. It stated " ECG showed sinus rhythm with normal QRS complexes. QT interval was 420ms." I Googled QT interval and realized that there was a HUGE amount information that could be gleaned from a tracing by an EXPERT. I have just had another look on Google and I too cannot find mention of an F line. I honestly don't know how a GP, a generalist, can understand and remember all the complexities of an ECG trace.

[BobD Volunteer]

Like the Stella ad. Never heard of it!.

[doodle68 in reply to BobD]

Hi Rothers and Jenny I think you may mean 'f wave' please see my quote below which mentions an 'f wave 'and the link from which is is taken..

Quote =Atrial Fibrillation

''Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common arrhythmias in which multiple foci in the atria depolarize rapidly and erratically at a combined rate of 400 times/min or more. Instead of generating well recognized P waves, the atria just quiver and produce fine f waves on the ECG baseline seen in one or more leads. The AV node is constantly bombarded by depolarization impulses but only some of these impulses manage to get through. The ventricular response is totally irregular without discernible pattern (irregularly irregular) generally at a rate between 110 and 180 beats/min. Since impulses that manage to pass through the AV node are conducted down the His Bundle and bundle branches, the ventricles are activated normally and their QRS complexes are normal in width and have the same morphology as that of sinus beats. ''

medicine-on-line.com/html/e...

....the item is quite a way down the page.

[doodle68]

.......continued

a quote from another source........

''Atrial Fibrillation

Diagnostic criteria

P waves are absent.

There are fibrillation (f) waves instead of P waves. The f waves result in an oscillating irregular baseline.

The R-R intervals are not equal resulting in an irregular rhythm (irregularly irregular).''

[BobD Volunteer]

Still doesn't make sense if there was " no activity on the f line."

[Mandie4711]

I know how you must feel. Trying to find out about different aspects of ECG are so difficult. I had an ECG yesterday hoping all would be normal as waiting to see a Cardiologist as I had a high Troponin level and since being told that I've been really worried. The ecg was my chance at thinking everything was ok but it showed Non specific T Abnormally and I googled this as the nurse that did they ecg didn't know what it meant. I can't find out anything about this and bits I did find were so conflicting one site saying bad things another site saying no much. I tried finding out how to understand an ecg as requested a print out so I can show the Cardiologist but it's just a lot of lines and bumps to me. Until I see the Cardiologist on Wednesday I won't know anything and for the past 2 months since having the Troponin blood test I have been living in fear. It's the not knowing that messes me up as I think the worse. If the Cardiologist has said that you are ok that's brilliant I just hope I get the same news.

[momist in reply to Mandie4711]

Yes, the fear can be more damaging than the disease. AF doesn't kill you directly.