Four Varieties of Arrhythmias
1. Sinus Arrhythmia- the pacemaker still originate from SA node but the pacemaking activity is irregular varying with inspiration and exhalation
2. Wandering Atrial Pacemaker-the pacemaker wanders from focus to focus. The P waves are various shapes since the origin of the pacemaker varies from within the atria.
3. Atrial Fibrillation-multiple ectopic foci in the atria emit electrical impulses. Since no single impulse depolarizes both atria there is a rapid series of tiny waves
4. Escape Beat-the response to a pause in pacemaking activity. Premature beats are made by an ectopic focus discharging spontaneously causing a beat earlier than expected.
Premature Beats
1. Premature Atrial Contraction (PAC)-originates from an ectopic focus in the atrium that appears much earlier than normal P wave on an EKG
2. Premature Junctional Contraction (PJC)-originates in an ectopic focus in the AV junction which fires before the normal cycle. Usually inverted P wave occurring before, during, or immediately after the QRS complex
3. Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC)-originates from an ectopic focus, an occurs very early before a P wave.
With Premature beats there usually is a compensatory pause.
Tachycardias
1. Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia-a rapid sudden heart rate originating from an ectopic focus from on of the atria. The rate is usually between 150-250 beats per minute.
2. Paroxysmal Junctional Tachycardia-a rapid sudden heart rate originating from an ectopic foci in the AV junction. The P wave is inverted occurring before, during or immediately after the QRS complex. Rate is between 150-250 beats per minute
-Collectively PAT and PJT are referred to as supraventricular tachycardia
3. Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia-sudden ectopic focus occurring from the ventricles. Wide complex. Rate between 150-250 beats per minute
4. Atrial Flutter-the ectopic focus in the atria fires at a rate between 250-350 beats per minute. There is one ectopic focus that is why the p waves look the same. The QRS complexes are usually equal distances between each other
No comments:
Post a Comment