Arrhythmia

Results:
ECG STAT March 1, 2026
Atrial Flutter

Key Points: Atrial flutter is a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia caused by a macro-reentrant circuit, most commonly typical cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent flutter in the right atrium. The atrial rate is usually about 250-350…

ECG STAT March 1, 2026
The Bix Rule (Unmasking Atrial Flutter)

Key Points: The Bix Rule is a bedside ECG clue for atrial flutter with 2:1 conduction. If an apparent “P wave” sits exactly halfway between 2 QRS complexes in a…

ECG STAT February 8, 2026
Wolff-Parkinson White (WPW) Syndrome

Key Points: Pattern vs syndrome: WPW pattern is ECG evidence of pre-excitation without symptoms. WPW syndrome is pattern plus symptomatic tachyarrhythmia (palpitations, syncope, “seizure”, aborted sudden cardiac arrest). PR interval…

ECG STAT February 8, 2026
WPW Syndrome and Pseudo-MI Patterns

Key Points: WPW alters ventricular depolarization, producing secondary repolarization abnormalities that can mimic or mask myocardial infarction. ST-segment deviation in WPW is often non-ischemic, driven by abnormal activation via the…

ECG STAT February 8, 2026
Atrial Fibrillation with WPW (Pre-excited AF)

Key Points: Pre-excited AF is the most dangerous WPW rhythm. It can deteriorate quickly to VF because the accessory pathway may conduct atrial impulses to the ventricle at extreme rates….

ECG STAT February 8, 2026
WPW with Antidromic SVT (Antidromic AVRT)

Key Points: Antidromic AVRT is an AV re-entrant tachycardia that conducts antegrade down the accessory pathway and returns retrograde through the AV node (or another pathway), producing a regular wide-complex…

ECG STAT February 8, 2026
WPW with Orthodromic SVT (Orthodromic AVRT)

Key Points: Orthodromic AVRT is the most common tachyarrhythmia in WPW and presents as a regular narrow-complex SVT that is indistinguishable from AVNRT during the tachycardia. Mechanism: antegrade conduction down…

Weekly Workout January 26, 2026
Baltimore City EMS ECGs: Pitfalls and Mimics (Part 1)

A 68-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by EMS with acute chest discomfort. The following prehospital ECG was obtained and shows concave ST elevation across multiple leads. The…

ECG STAT January 14, 2026
Bidirectional Ventricular Tachycardia (BiVT)

Key Points: BiVT is a regular wide-complex tachycardia with strict beat-to-beat alternation of QRS axis and/or bundle-branch pattern (often an approximately 180° frontal-plane axis flip). In adults, assume digoxin toxicity…

ECG STAT November 22, 2025
Atrial Parasystole

Key Points: Atrial parasystole is a rare atrial rhythm in which an ectopic atrial focus fires at its own intrinsic rate, relatively protected from sinus-node reset by entrance block.  The…

ECG STAT October 25, 2025
Ventricular Tachycardia (VT): Core Overview

Key Points: VT is a ventricular-origin rhythm: ≥3 consecutive ventricular beats, QRS >120 ms, rate usually 120–250 bpm. Types include monomorphic VT, polymorphic VT, torsades (PMVT with long QT), ventricular…

ECG STAT October 25, 2025
Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) Mimics

Key Points: Initial Assumption: Any wide (QRS >120 ms), regular tachycardia should be considered ventricular tachycardia (VT) until clearly proven otherwise. VT Characteristics: VT generally has a ventricular rate of…

ECG STAT October 25, 2025
Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia (pVT) Arrest

Key Points: Defibrillation First, Minimal Pauses: pVT is rapidly fatal without immediate shocks and high‑quality CPR. Charge defibrillator during compressions and resume compressions immediately after each shock. pVT is a…

ECG STAT October 12, 2025
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)

Key Points Prevalence: The most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, particularly prevalent among elderly individuals, associated with increased stroke, heart failure, and mortality risks. Mechanism: Caused by chaotic, multiple reentry circuits…

ECG STAT October 11, 2025
Electrical Storm

Key Points: Definition: Electrical storm is defined as three or more episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF), or appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks within 24 hours. Some…

ECG STAT October 11, 2025
Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) Arrest

Key Points: Defibrillation First, Minimal Pauses: VF is rapidly fatal without immediate shocks and high‑quality CPR. Charge during compressions and resume compressions immediately after each shock. Chaotic Electrical Activity: VF…

ECG STAT October 11, 2025
Ventricular Flutter (V-Flutter)

Key Points: Definition: A malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmia with a regular, sine-wave–like waveform at ~250–350 bpm, no isoelectric baseline, and no discernible P/QRS/T distinction. Clinical importance: Rapidly degenerates into ventricular fibrillation…

ECG STAT October 11, 2025
Unstable Tachyarrhythmias

Key Points: Intervene Immediately: Unstable tachyarrhythmias pose significant risk for rapid clinical deterioration that may lead to irreversible end-organ damage or cardiac arrest. Clinical Indicators of Instability: Altered Mental Status:…

ECG STAT October 10, 2025
Blocked Premature Atrial Complexes (PACs)

Key Points Definition: early ectopic atrial beats that do not conduct to the ventricles. You see a premature P wave with no following QRS and a pause that is usually…

ECG STAT September 14, 2025
Atrioventricular Reciprocating Tachycardia (AVRT)

Key Points: AVRT is a re-entrant SVT that requires two limbs: the AV node and an accessory pathway. It is an AV node dependent tachycardia. Orthodromic AVRT conducts antegrade down…

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