Atrial Fibrillation ECG Interpretation with Sample Strip
ECG Strip
Atrial Fibrillation Rhythm Strip Features
Rate: Very fast (> 350 bpm) for Atrial, but ventricular rate may be slow, normal or fastRhythm: Irregular
P Wave: Absent - erratic waves are present
PR Interval: Absent
QRS: Normal but may be widened if there are conduction delays
Not all fibrillatory waves are created equal. The "f" waves can be coarse (majority measure 3 mm or more) or can be fine (majority of waveforms measure less than 3 mm) to almost absent.
Atrial fibrillation is a common type of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) arrhythmia, characterized by chaotic, quivering atria. These atrial fibrillations result in atrial contractions that are ineffective and out of coordination with the ventricles.
External Source: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/af/
National Institutes of Health
Authors and Sources
Authors and Reviewers
- ECG heart rhythm modules: Thomas O'Brien.
- ECG monitor simulation developer: Steve Collmann
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12 Lead Course: Dr. Michael Mazzini, MD.
- Spanish language ECG: Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
- Medical review: Dr. Jonathan Keroes, MD
- Medical review: Dr. Pedro Azevedo, MD, Cardiology
- Last Update: 11/8/2021
Sources
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Electrocardiography for Healthcare Professionals, 6th Edition
Kathryn Booth and Thomas O'Brien
ISBN10: 1265013470, ISBN13: 9781265013479
McGraw Hill, 2023 -
Rapid Interpretation of EKG's, Sixth Edition
Dale Dublin
Cover Publishing Company -
EKG Reference Guide
EKG.Academy -
12 Lead EKG for Nurses: Simple Steps to Interpret Rhythms, Arrhythmias, Blocks, Hypertrophy, Infarcts, & Cardiac Drugs
Aaron Reed
Create Space Independent Publishing -
Heart Sounds and Murmurs: A Practical Guide with Audio CD-ROM 3rd Edition
Elsevier-Health Sciences Division
Barbara A. Erickson, PhD, RN, CCRN -
The Virtual Cardiac Patient: A Multimedia Guide to Heart Sounds, Murmurs, EKG
Jonathan Keroes, David Lieberman
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkin)
ISBN-10: 0781784425; ISBN-13: 978-0781784429 - Project Semilla, UCLA Emergency Medicine, EKG Training Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
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ECG Reference Guide
PracticalClinicalSkills.com