Asystole ECG Interpretation


Description of Asystole ECG

  • Asystole dysrhythmia occurs when there is a total absence of electrical activity in the heart.
  • The patient is clinically dead.
  • Sometimes this tracing is referred to as straight line or flat line.
  • There will be an absence of P waves and QRS complexes.
  • True Asystole is an absolute medical emergency.
  • (Follow your local reporting and treatment protocols)
  • If your patient is speaking to you, they are NOT in Asystole. Check your attachments and equipment.
asystole tracing

Practice Strip

ventricular ecg image 121

Analyze this tracing using the five steps of rhythm analysis.

Show Answer
  • Rhythm: Absent
  • Rate: 0
  • P Wave: absent
  • PR interval: n/a
  • QRS: absent
  • Interpretation: Asystole





Authors and Sources

Authors and Reviewers


Sources

  • 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
  • ECG Reference Guide
    PracticalClinicalSkills.com






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