Life Savers
Latest
Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (PMVT)
Key Points: Definition: Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia is VT with beat-to-beat variation in QRS morphology, axis, and amplitude. Clinical significance: PMVT is electrically unstable and can rapidly deteriorate into ventricular fibrillation…
Nonsustained Ventricular Tachycardia (NSVT)
Key Points: Definition: Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia is 3 or more consecutive ventricular beats lasting less than 30 seconds and terminating spontaneously. Rate: VT is usually faster than 120 bpm, but…
STEMI vs Wide QRS (BBBs & Paced Rhythms): DDx
Key Points: Wide QRS rhythms distort repolarization. Bundle branch block and ventricular pacing create secondary ST-T changes even without occlusion MI. Appropriate discordance is expected. ST segments and T waves…
South African Flag Sign: OMI Pattern
Key Points: Pattern: The South African Flag sign is the combination of ST elevation in I, aVL, and V2 with reciprocal ST depression in III. It is a subtle but…
Occlusion MI in Ventricular Paced Rhythms: STEMI Equivalent Pattern
Key Points: Ventricular paced rhythms can mask acute coronary occlusion. Pacing alters depolarization and produces expected secondary ST-T abnormalities, so standard STEMI criteria are unreliable. Appropriate discordance is expected in…
The Life Savers: Critical ECGs Hub
Key Points: Life Savers are the can’t-miss ECGs. These patterns may reflect immediately life-threatening ischemic, electrical, mechanical, obstructive, toxicologic, or metabolic emergencies. This hub is built for rapid action. Use…
Electrical Alternans
Key Points: Electrical alternans is a beat-to-beat alternation in QRS amplitude, axis, or both. It is classically associated with a large pericardial effusion and may support concern for tamponade, but…
STEMI vs LVH: DDx
Key Points: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with strain is one of the most common and dangerous STEMI mimics, particularly in the anterior leads, and is a frequent cause of false-positive…
Pericardial Tamponade
Key Points: Pericardial tamponade is a hemodynamic diagnosis, not just an ECG diagnosis. ECG may show sinus tachycardia, low-voltage QRS, and sometimes electrical alternans, but none are sensitive enough to…
Modified Sgarbossa Criteria: STEMI Equivalent Pattern
Key Points: LBBB and ventricular-paced rhythms can hide acute coronary occlusion because abnormal depolarization creates expected secondary ST-T changes. Occlusion MI can still be recognized when those ST changes are…
Isorhythmic AV Dissociation
Key Points: Isorhythmic AV dissociation is a form of AV dissociation in which the sinus rate and junctional or ventricular escape rate are nearly identical, making the P waves and…
Third-Degree AV Block (Complete Heart Block)
Key Points: Third-degree AV block is complete failure of atrial impulses to conduct to the ventricles. The defining ECG feature is AV dissociation with no conducted P waves. The atrial…
Second-Degree AV Block Type I (Mobitz I/Wenckebach)
Key Points: Mobitz I is defined by progressive PR prolongation until a single P wave fails to conduct, after which the cycle resets. The block is usually at the AV…
Second-Degree AV Block with 2:1 Conduction
Key Points: Second-degree AV block with 2:1 conduction means every other P wave conducts and every other P wave is blocked. A single ECG with 2:1 conduction usually cannot be…
Second-Degree AV Block Type II (Mobitz II)
Key Points: Mobitz II is defined by sudden failure of AV conduction after at least 2 consecutive conducted beats with fixed PR intervals and no preceding PR prolongation. The block…
Atrial Flutter 1:1 Conduction
Key Points: Rare, high-risk rhythm. Atrial flutter with 1:1 conduction can produce ventricular rates of 240-320 bpm and may rapidly cause hypotension, ischemia, or collapse. Often mimics VT. The QRS…
Advanced (High-Grade) AV Block
Key Points: Advanced or high-grade AV block is a severe second-degree AV block with 2 or more consecutive non-conducted P waves, such as 3:1 or 4:1 conduction. Do not force…
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…
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…
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….
Free Content
Jump on our email list for free tips and insights delivered to your inbox monthly. No spam - just quick pearls and ECG education.
Categories
- No categories
© 2026 ECG Weekly. All rights reserved. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Powered by the member(dev) platform
Loading...