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…
Key Points: Unstable bradyarrhythmias cause poor perfusion which can rapidly progress to shock, irreversible organ injury, or cardiac arrest. Priority: Do not treat the heart rate alone — treat clinical…
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:…
Key Points: Premature complexes are early depolarizations arising from the atrium, AV junction, or ventricle which interrupt the expected sinus rhythm. Rapid classification by origin: look for a P wave…
Key Points An Osborn wave is a notch or slur at the J point that becomes more prominent as core temperature falls. Most visible in inferolateral and precordial leads; can…
Key Points PVCs are early ventricular depolarizations that produce a wide QRS with secondary ST-T changes and are usually followed by a full compensatory pause. No preceding P wave. A…
Key Points: Definition: AIVR is a transient, usually benign ventricular rhythm often seen after reperfusion of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), whether spontaneous or post-intervention (PCI or thrombolysis). Rate Differentiation:…
Key Points: Definition: Wide complex tachycardia (WCT) = QRS >120 ms with a steady R-R interval. This section focuses on regular WCT (RWCT). Wide & irregular rhythms are covered separately…
Key Points: Rare, inherited ventricular arrhythmia triggered by adrenergic stress during exertion or emotion. Classically presents in children or adolescents with syncope or cardiac arrest despite a normal resting ECG…
Key Points Artifact is a common source of misdiagnosis for serious arrhythmias such as polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT), torsades de pointes, or ventricular fibrillation (VF). Always correlate the ECG findings…
Key Points Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (MMVT) is the most common sustained VT. It shows a single, uniform QRS morphology throughout. Classified as sustained if lasting > 30 seconds or associated…
Key Points ECG alone cannot reliably distinguish VT from SVT-aberrancy in many cases. Use ECG features to rule in VT, not to exclude it. Default: treat regular WCT as VT…
Key Points Idiopathic monomorphic VT arising from the right ventricular outflow tract. Most patients have no structural heart disease; catecholamine and cAMP-mediated triggers are common. Classic ECG pattern: LBBB morphology…
Key Points Idiopathic reentrant VT arising within the left Purkinje system, most often the left posterior fascicle. Patients are usually young and lack structural heart disease. Signature ECG: RBBB-like morphology…
Key Points: Treat the patient, not just the number or rhythm. Start with a 10-second stability check. If the rhythm explains hypotension, shock, ischemic chest pain, altered mentation, or severe…
Key Points Definition: Slow ventricular tachycardia is defined as a wide complex tachycardia with a ventricular rate between 100–120 bpm. Distinction: Typical sustained VT usually exceeds 120 bpm. When encountering…
Key Points: Purpose: The Lewis Lead (modified S5 lead) is a bedside ECG modification designed to enhance visualization of atrial activity. It is particularly useful for differentiating VT from SVT…
Key Points: Definition: QRS >120 ms with an irregular ventricular rate. Clinical Priority: Always first consider AF with accessory pathway (AF + WPW) and polymorphic VT (PMVT, including torsades) —…
Key Points: Bundle branch blocks widen the QRS, usually to 120 ms or more, because ventricular depolarization is delayed through one of the main bundle branches. The two classic patterns…
Key Points Definition: A fusion beat occurs when two impulses — one from the normal conduction system (typically supraventricular) and one from an ectopic ventricular focus (e.g., during VT) —…