Sinus Rhythms

Sinus Tachycardia ECG Interpretation

Description

Sinus Tachycardia occurs when the rate of electrical impulse formation occurs at a rate exceeding 100 bpm.
This can occur for a number of different reasons i.e. diet, stress, illness, response to physical exertion etc.
The only difference between Normal Sinus Rhythm and Sinus Tachycardia (Sinus Tach) is the rate exceeds 100 bpm. All other steps of rhythm analysis will be “normal.
An additional challenge that will present as rhythm rates accelerate is that the cardiac complexes will come closer together. This can result in the P wave becoming partially or completely buried within the T wave of the previous cardiac complex.
The result of a partially buried P waves means you are unable to establish the beginning of atrial depolarization. Meaning you will be unable to measure and report the PR interval. The only way it will be possible is if the physician instructs you to increase the machine printing speed (remember interval times will double at 50 mm/sec).

Analyze this tracing using the five steps of rhythm analysis.

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Authors and 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