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Step 1 - Rhythm Analysis - Course # 318-3
Introduction
- When analyzing cardiac rhythm strips it is important to recognize what the cardiac complex represents and what is considered normal versus abnormal.
- The technique and interpretation of cardiac rhythms is a combination of science and art.
- The more you practice rhythm analysis the more comfortable you will be with the process involved and the intuitive aspects of interpretation.
Description
- When a normal heart is beating this is the result of electrical impulses that spread through the atria and then the ventricles in an organized, sequential manner. Atria, then ventricles, atria, then ventricles over and over again.
- When analyzing the tracing you will first check R wave to R wave across the strip. If the intervals vary by 1 ½ small boxes or less the rhythm is considered regular.
- If you take your own pulse now and then again in 10 minutes it is unlikely that your heart rate will be exactly the same number. This is because of a number of factors all working together in an effort to maintain our body within a specific range of “normal”, often referred to as homeostasis.
- R wave to R wave analysis refers to the rhythmicity of the ventricles.
- Now measure the P wave to P wave intervals. This refers to the rhythmicity of the atria.
How to use this module.
This module is organized into a series of lessons. These lessons are listed on the right side of the content area. To navigate to a lesson, either
click on the lesson name or use the arrows at the bottom right. Each lesson contains several slides. These slides are lists with tabs
that appear above each slide. To navigate to a slide, either click on the tab or use the gray arrows that appear on the left and right sides of the slides.
Within the lesson are questions. These questions are used to reinforce key concepts, but they are not used for scoring or grading. After
completing this module, we encourage you to use our drills and quizzes to practice what you have learned. Finally, after completing most or all of
the modules, you might try our EKG Graded Quizzes to test your knowledge.
Our affiliated website, Practical Clinical Skills, provides additional drills and quizzes with certifcates of achievement. If you have an account, then your signin name and password will
work on that website as well. Click here for EKG contents and apps at Practical Clinical Skills.
318 Step 1 - Rhythm Analysis - Course # 318-3