This strip was obtained from a woman who presented to her doctor’s office with hypertension. While there is some artifact in the baseline, it is possible to determine the presence of P waves, thanks in part to having two leads to assess.  We have provided an unmarked version of the strip for you to use, and also a marked version for the sake of this discussion.

The underlying rhythm is sinus bradycardia, at about 60 bpm, but with some slight variation in the P to P intervals (about 920 ms to 1040 ms). Because of the artifact, it is difficult to determine the exact P to P intervals, and the exact morphology of the P waves. So, we can’t say for sure that the P waves are all alike.

The AV block occurs at a 3:1 ratio.  That is, for every three P waves, one is conducted and produces a QRS complex.  When the P waves are not conducted, an escape rhythm occurs.

The escape rhythm occurs at an escape interval of about 1720 ms.  In other words, when a QRS does not occur by that time, the escape beat is produced.  It appears to be from the AV junction, in spite of the slow rate, because the escape QRSs look like the sinus conducted QRSs.  Both sinus and junctional rhythms are conducted along the bundle branches and produce the same QRS morphology.  The QRS complexes are approximately .08-.10 seconds wide.  Note that QRS complexes numbered 3, 5, and 7 have a P wave fused to the beginning of the QRS, making the QRS look wide when it is not.   A junctional escape rhythm results from AV block in the AV node, as the junction is the first available pacemaker below the AVN. 

This patient was scheduled for a treadmill stress test in her doctor’s office, which was cancelled. She had no cardiac symptoms at the time of the ECG, except the above-noted hypertension.  Unexplained bradycardia, especially when accompanied by AV node blocks, should trigger an assessment for inferior wall M.I., since the inferior wall of the LV shares a blood supply with the SA and AV nodes in the majority of people.

This strip shows the onset of atrial fibrillation.  A fib can be "paroxysmal," meaning that it has a sudden onset, but then stops spontaneously, usually within 24 hours to a week.  A fib can also be classified as "persistent", meaninging that the a fib lasts more than a week.  It can stop spontaneously, or be halted with medical treatment.  "Permanent" a fib is a fib that is resistent to treatment.  

The first three beats in this strip represent sinus rhythm at 75 beats per minute.  At the onset of atrial fibrillation with beat number four, the rhythm becomes irregularly irregular, and the rate is around 140-150 bpm. We can expect new-onset a fib to have a fast ventricular rate, as the atria are sending hundreds of impulses to the AV node every minute. The AV node will conduct as many of those impulses as it can to the ventricles.  Most AV nodes can easily transmit 130-160 bpm.  In a fib, the atria are quivering, not contracting. Because of this fibrillation of the atrial muscle, a fib has no P waves, and therefore, no "atrial kick".  The contribution of the atria to cardiac output (25-30%) is lost. An extremely fast rate can also lower output and overwork the heart, so one treatment goal for a fib is to lower the rate.  This can be done independently of attempts to convert the rhythm.

During a fib, blood clots can form in parts of the atria, especially the left atrial appendage.  If sinus rhythm is restored after these thrombi form, they can embolize and travel to the brain, causing stroke.  Before electively converting atrial fib to a sinus rhythm, the patient may need to be anticoagulated.

Sinus bradycardia.  This strip meets the criteria of:  regular rhythm, rate less than 60 bpm (40 bpm in this case), regular P waves before every QRS.  Sinus bradycardia can have many causes from a completely normal variation to a malfunction of the sinus node.  In some cases, enhanced parasympathetic tone causes sinus bradycardia.  Well-conditioned athletes typically have sinus bradycardia. Treatment depends upon the cause and the patient's response to the rate.  If the rate does not cause hemodynamic impairment, treatment may not be necessary.

This strip offers several good teaching opportunities.  If it were a 12-lead ECG, no doubt it would be a bonanza!  First, there is sinus tachycardia at a rate of about 138 per minute.  The P waves are all alike and regular.  The T waves are tall and narrow, with a sharp peak.  This is often a transient sign of hyperkalemia, and should be investigated with serum electrolyte tests and with a 12-lead ECG.  In addition, the baseline shows a wandering type of artifact.  This is due to the patient's deep breathing, and the fact that the arm electrodes were placed on the chest.  This patient was a diabetic in ketoacidosis with hyperkalemia.