V1 monophasic R wave / biphasic (qR or RS) / triphasic with R > R
V6 R/S ratio < 1
Clinically normal individual
Lenegre’s disease (idiopathic fibrosis of the conduction tissue)
Lev’s disease (calcification of the cardiac skeleton)
Cardiomyopathy
Dilated, Hypertrophic (concentric or asymmetric)
Infiltrative
Tumor, Chagas’ disease, Myxedema, Amyloidosis
Ischemic heart disease
MI (acute/old), CAD
Aortic Stenosis (AS)
Infective endocarditis
Cardiac trauma
Hyperkalemia
Ventricular hypertrophy
Rapid heart rates
Massive PE
Hemiblocks
Watch for intermittent change in QRS axis and/or pattern
½ of LAD infarctions cause ant. hemiblock (also can get RBBB)
Anterior hemiblock
QRS usu. 0.1 to 0.12
Q1S3
LAD from late depolarization (r/o inferior MI, LVH, horizontal heart)
Posterior hemiblock
RAD (r/o lateral MI, RVH, lung disease)
Normal or wide QRS
S1Q3
Other slow (or no) rhythms
Asystole
PEA (pulseless electrical activity – many causes)
SSS (sick sinus syndrome)
BTS (SSS with intermittent tachycardia)
Normal
Atrial foci 60-80
Junctional foci 40-60
Ventricular foci 20-40
Atrial tachycardia 150-250
Atrial flutter 250-350
Atrial fibrillation 350-450
Atrial flutter
Ventricular flutter – rapidly becomes V fib
Ventricular parasystole – simultaneous pacing of A and V
Types of Tachycardias
Regular narrow complex
Sinus, atrial, AV-reentrant, WPW, atrial flutter, junctional tachycardia
Irregular narrow complex
Atrial fibrillation, multifocal atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter with variable block
Wide complex
QRS > 0.12 with normal conduction or > 0.14 with RBB or > 0.16 with LBB
Ventricular tachycardia (VT), Torsades de Pointes (drugs that cause), supraventricular (SVT) with aberrant conduction, hyperkalemia, TCA toxicity
Note: hyperkalemia can cause complete AV block even without widened QRS
Diagnosis and Treatment
Synchronized countershock
Vagal maneuvers
Adenosine
P1 receptors in AV node / given as 6 then 12 mg IV / chest discomfort, transient hypotension / may terminate reentrant tachycardia / SVT may stop then recur / preexcitation tachycardia should not be affected
AV nodal agents
Lidocaine
1 mg/kg bolus, 1-4 mg/min / SE: confusion, seizures
Magnesium
torsades (especially drug-induced) / 1 g MgSO4 given IV
Calcium
membrane stabilization
Atrial Arrhythmias
Atrial Tachycardias (follow links for specifics)
Sinus tachycardia
Sinus node re-entry
Atrial tachycardia
Unifocal / Multifocal
Atrial flutter
Atrial fibrillation
AV Junctional Tachycardia
AV re-entry (WPW)
orthodromic / antidromic
AV nodal re-entry (common)
Non-paroxysmal Junctional (uncommon)
Automatic Junctional Tachycardia (uncommon)
General points
Causes of atrial/junctional irritability
epinephrine
caffeine, amphetamines, cocaine, other B1 agonists
digitalis, toxins, EtOH
hyperthyroidism (direct and sensitization to above)
low O2 (to some extent)
Atrioventricular Relationship
atrioventricular dissociation
sinus capture beats
fusion beats
Regular atrial arrhythmias
sinus tachyarrhythmia
paroxysmal atrial tachycardia (PAT) (see other)
atrial flutter with constant conduction (see other)
Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
Tachyarrhythmia originating above ventricle (includes PAT, AT, JT, etc.)
may have widened QRS (resembling PVT) – BBB or aberrancy
can try vagal maneuvers 1st, then meds // Note: do not attempt carotid massage if there is a bruit!!!
Brugada’s Criteria (VT versus SVT with aberrancy)
absence of RS complex in all precordial leads?
interval from R to nadir of S > 100 msec in any precordial lead?
AV dissociation?
Are there morphology criteria for VT in both V1 & V6? (suggesting BBB)
If yes to any → VT
If no to all → SVT w/ aberrancy
Premature atrial beat (PAB)
P1 looks different / can merge with T-wave
SA pacing will be reset to P1
Non-conducted PAB may resemble 3rd degree heart block
Paroxysmal atrial tachycardia (PAT)
PAT with block is typical for digitalis toxicity
Note: Must have AV blocking when controlling SVT’s / do not use only a single class IC agent (e.g. flecainide) to control an atrial tachycardia because you might convert a 240 (A) 120 (V) to a 200/200
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) - Irregular
5% over 60 yrs / 10-15% over 80 yrs
Causes: mitral valve disease, thyrotoxicosis, HTN, CAD, MI, pulmonary embolism, pericarditis / stress, fever, excessive alcohol intake, volume depletion, idiopathic
Prognosis: 60% of new onset AF convert spontaneously within 24 hrs / atrium greater than 4.5 cm and long duration of Afib are more likely to have chronic/relapsing AF
Work-up: TSH, consider PE w/u, more…
Treatment:
Control ventricular response
Rate control: Digoxin, B-blockers, Amiodarone vs. His ablation and pacemaker
B-blockers reduce relapse (60% 40%) and when they do relapse, the HR will be lower (may also increase chance of conversion)
Digoxin – good for rate control (not conversion) / peak action at 90 mins
Ca channel blockers (verapamil, diltiazem) – for rate control (not conversion)
Cardioversion - immediate DC conversion if hemodynamically unstable
AFFIRM trial suggest no need to cardiovert most patients with chronic Afib; benefit may be seen more with younger, healthier women as well as patients whose heart failure is so severe that NSR would be of major benefit; some studies (PIAF/STAF/RACE) show that rhythm control may actually have worse outcome for elderly, CAD or non-CHF patients / for CHF patients, sometimes amiodarone is the best option (in spite of many side effects) [NEJM]
AF present > 48 hrs or unknown duration
Plan 1: 10 days (some say 21) anticoagulation therapy cardioversion 4 weeks post-anticoagulation
Plan 2: if no thrombus seen on TEE (85% of cases) cardioversion 24-48 hrs later 4 weeks post-anticoagulation [plan 2 has higher initial success rate and lower bleeding events due to shorter duration of anticoagulation, but chance of long-term NSR is same]
Spontaneous cardioversion (50% within 24 hrs)
Direct current (DC) conversion – success rate 90%, low rate of ventricular arrhythmia, premedication before DV conversion has no effect on short term maintenance of NSR
Chemical Cardioversion – variable success (ventricular arrhythmia rate 0-10%)
Class III/Ia are more dangerous for hypertrophied hearts (prolonged QT and torsades)
Class I are more dangerous for functionally (ischemic) and anatomically (fibrosis, infiltration) challenged hearts (ventricular tachyarrhythmias)
Examples of efficacy: amiodarone (30%/1 hr, 80%/24 hrs), procainamide (65%/1 hr), quinidine (?), propafenone (90%/1hr), digoxin (50%/1 hr)
If thrombus present (15% of cases): LA appendage > LA cavity (6:1) / 80% will resolve on repeat TEE within 2 months of anticoagulation
Anticoagulation: heparin in short term then coumadin long-term; by 2003, Lovenox still not officially recommended; older patients with chronic or paroxysmal AF without contraindications should receive long-term warfarin (INR 2 to 3). ASA 325 mg/day (20% risk reduction)
Risk of stroke: increased with diabetes, > 65 yrs, HTN, CHF, rheumatic heart disease, prior CVA or TIA, TEE showing spontaneous echo contrast in LA, left atrial atheroma, left atrial appendage velocity < 20 cm/s
Investigational: focal atrial ablation, atrial pacing/defibrillators
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