Wandering Atrial Pacemaker ECG Interpretation


Description

  • Rhythms are often named according to the origin of the electrical activity in the heart or the structure where the problem is occurring.
  • Wandering Atrial Pacemaker is aptly named due to the electrical impulses causing the atrial activity are moving or wandering.
  • These changes in the locus of stimulation affect the morphology of the P waves.

Analysis

wandering atrial pacemaker tracing
  • In Wandering Atrial Pacemaker ECG, you must observe at least three different shaped P waves. No other changes in the tracing may be observed. The rhythm may or may not be regular.
  • The PR interval is often affected, but does not have to be.
  • The bottom line, is you must observe at least three different shaped P waves.

Practice Strip

wandering atrial pacemaker ecg tracing

Analyze this tracing using the five steps of rhythm analysis.

Show Answer
  • Rhythm: Irregular
  • Rate: 50
  • P wave: Changing Shapes (3 or more)
  • PR interval: Variable
  • QRS: 0.08
  • Interpretation: Wandering Atrial Pacemaker



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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