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Are you transferring to a monitored area? About to start EMT, Paramedic, Nursing, or Med school? Having trouble with ECG classes? Dawn Altman 0ffers customized ECG Classes on site or via Zoom. We offer many topics and levels. Individual tutoring via Zoom also available
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Instructors' Collection: Widespread ST Elevation With Right Bundle Branch Block

Usually, instructors of basic ECG classes look for examples of the most common conditions that are likely to be encountered by the learners.  But, sometimes, it is advantageous to show students more unusual presentations to remind them of the infinite possibilities when we care for living beings.  This series is a very good example of what can and does happen to some people with cardiovascular disease.  It will give your students an opportunity to think about possible interpretations, and also about anticipating clinical implications and emergencies that may arise.

The Patient:  This patient is a man in his 80s who has been active his whole life.  He considers himself to be healthy, giving no medical history and denying medication use. He states that he has had a yearly health exam.  Today, he felt “tired and dizzy” while raking leaves.  As he walked to his house to rest, he had a syncopal episode and fell, hitting his head. He was unconscious for a few minutes. A family member called for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Paramedics found him awake and complaining of bilateral “shoulder and wrist” pain. He had no obvious trauma to his extremities, but had some bruising on his head and face.  He denied recent illness and substance abuse.  He was oriented x3. He was pale and diaphoretic, and complained of nausea. He denied chest or back pain.  He denied shortness of breath.  BP 100/60.  Heart rate bradycardic.  SPO2 above 95%.  He was given aspirin and ondasetron, and transported to a hospital.

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ECG Basics: Second-degree AV Block, Type I

This two-lead rhythm strip shows a normal sinus rhythm at about 63 bpm.  The P waves are regular. After the sixth P-QRS, there is a non-conducted P wave.  The normal rhythm then resumes.  The two most common reasons for a non-conducted P wave in the midst of a normal sinus rhythm are 1) non-conducted PAC, and 2) Wenckebach conduction. The first is easy to rule out.  The non-conducted P wave is not premature, so it is not a PAC.  The second one is a little harder when we only have a short strip to look at.  We are conditioned to look for progressively-prolonging PR intervals until a QRS is "dropped".  In this case, the progression is in very tiny increments that are hard to see unless you zoom in and measure.  But they ARE progressively prolonging.  An easy hack:  measure the last PRI before the dropped beat and the first one after the pause.  You will see that the cycle ends on a longer PRI (about .28 seconds) and the new cycle starts up with a PR interval of about .20 seconds.  Fortunately, this conduction ratio will have very little effect on the patient's heart rate.

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Ask The Expert

Dr. Jerry W. Jones, MD, FACEP, FAAEM has graciously shared with us his four-part article on the topic of “Delays & Blocks Involving the Bundle Branches”.

Dr. Jones is a talented instructor who makes difficult topics easy.  Please feel free to post your comments and questions for Dr. Jones and our other ECG Gurus. 

Click THIS LINK for a downloadable pdf of Part 1: Non-Specific Intraventricular Conduction Delays. 

Click THIS LINK for a downloadable pdf of Part 2: Left Bundle Branch Block.

Click THIS LINK for a downloadable pdf of Part 3: Right Bundle Branch Block.

Click THIS LINK for a downloadable pdf of Part 4: The Fascicles of the Left Bundle Branch 

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ECG Glossary from Dr. Ken Grauer

Are you looking for a comprehensive ECG glossary that goes beyond simply defining words? Dr. Ken Grauer, who is the ECG Guru's Consulting Expert, has a Glossary available on his website that explains the terms.  Instructors and students alike will benefit from having this glossary readily available.  The glossary is exerpted from his e-Publication, "A 1st Book On ECGs - 2014", available on Amazon.

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1924:  Willem Einthoven wins the Nobel prize for inventing the electrocardiograph.

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