ECG lesson part 2

[Fibfab]

This is a brief, simple and basic explanation of the features seen on a normal ECG pattern.

It does not cover any of the normal variants which commonly occur for a number of reasons.

Any concerns regarding your own ECG should always be brought to the attention of a health professional.

As I said previously, the heart has a natural pacemaker which sends signals through the heart in an ordered sequence to initiate a cardiac cycle/heart beat. This occurs from top to bottom.

The signal causes contraction of the atria first, followed by the ventricles and then a relaxation phase of the ventricles before the cycle repeats.

This is called normal sinus rhythm (NSR), it occurs regularly and produces an ECG complex similar to the one shown below.

NSR at rest 60-100 bpm

Sinus tachycardia >100 bpm

Sinus bradycardia <60bpm

All of the above variations in rate can occur in a healthy heart, depending on the physiological situation, such as rest, exercise, sleep, stress etc.

Part 3 will explain the ECG features of Atrial Fibrillation

[jeanjeannie50]

I'm taking everything you're teaching us in Fibfab. Just hope I can remember it all! I'm going to copy what you've shown us so far and make up an ECG document.

Thank you.

[Fibfab]

I’m glad you appreciate it. Remember, though, it’s a very basic explanation and there are slight variations to this particular pattern of ECG complex 💚

[Morzine]

Interesting thanks

[wilsond]

Thank you for this useful information xx

[Auriculaire]

Thank you Fibfab. I have noticed on my Kardia ecgs that the peaks (R) of the ventrical contractions are often not all the same height and that when I take my pulse some beats are less noticeable than most. Is this normal and why does it happen?

[Fibfab]

Auriculaire, this is one of the variations I mentioned in the above post.

There are tips on the Kardia website to improve the signal from the device. alivecor.zendesk.com/hc/en-...

[Madscientist16]

Thanks Fibfab. So nice of you to take the time to share this information with us.

[Fibfab]

☺️💚