Life-Threatening Arrhythmias and EKG Interpretation Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering EKG basics, cardiac conduction, atrial dysrhythmias, AV blocks, ventricular arrhythmias, and electrical interventions based on lecture notes.

Normal Sinus Rhythm (NSR)

A heart rhythm where the electrical impulse starts at a regular rate and rhythm in the sinus node, with a rate of 60-100 bpm, PR interval of 0.12-0.20 sec, QRS duration of 0.08-0.12 sec, and a P:QRS ratio of 1:1.

Sinus Bradycardia

A regular sinus rhythm with a heart rate of less than 60 bpm, PR interval of 0.12-0.20 sec, QRS duration of 0.08-0.12 sec, and a P:QRS ratio of 1:1.

Atropine Sulfate

A medical treatment administered for unstable sinus bradycardia.

Sinus Tachycardia

A regular sinus rhythm with a heart rate of greater than 100 bpm, PR interval of 0.12-0.20 sec, QRS duration of 0.08-0.12 sec, and a P:QRS ratio of 1:1.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF)

A dysrhythmia characterized by rapid, disorganized, and uncoordinated twitching of atrial musculature, an atrial rate of 300-600, an irregular rhythm, undulating fibrillatory f waves, and a P:QRS ratio of many:1 or 0:1.

Holiday Heart Syndrome

Atrial fibrillation caused specifically by alcohol ingestion.

First Degree AV Block

A regular rhythm where SA node impulses are blocked or delayed, resulting in a prolonged PR interval greater than 0.20 seconds with a 1:1 P:QRS ratio.

Second Degree AV Block, Type 1 (Wenckebach / Mobitz I)

An AV block where the PR interval progressively lengthens with each succeeding EKG complex until an atrial impulse is fully blocked (dropped beat), leading to grouped beating.

Second Degree AV Block, Type 2 (Mobitz II)

An AV block where atrial rhythm is regular, ventricular rhythm is irregular, PR intervals before conducted complexes are constant, and QRS complexes are suddenly dropped.

Third Degree AV Block (Complete Heart Block)

A cardiac emergency where no atrial impulse is conducted through the AV node into the ventricles, resulting in AV dissociation with independent atrial and ventricular rhythms.

Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC)

An ectopic beat arising from irritable sites in the ventricles that is not a full rhythm and always presents as wide and bizarre.

Idioventricular Rhythm

Also known as ventricular escape rhythm, a rhythm occurring when the electrical impulse starts in the conduction system below the AV node.

Agonal Rhythm

An idioventricular rhythm with a heart rate below 20 beats/min that happens before asystole.

Ventricular Tachycardia (VT)

A rhythm defined as 3 or more consecutive PVCs, with a ventricular rate of 100-200 beats/min, wide and bizarre QRS complexes (> 0.12 s), and a regular rhythm.

Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)

A very chaotic and irregular rhythm with no discernable rhythm or organized electrical activity, requiring immediate CPR and defibrillation.

Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA)

A state defined by the presence of organized electrical activity on the monitor despite the complete absence of a palpable pulse and myocardial activity.

Synchronized Cardioversion

A procedure used for tachydysrhythmias (VT, Atrial flutter, AF, SVT) that delivers electrical shocks timed with a specific point on the QRS complex (R waves).

Defibrillation

An asynchronized electrical shock delivered as an emergent intervention to restore a perfusing rhythm in cases of VF or pulseless VT.

Pacing

An intervention (temporary or permanent) that corrects a slow heart rate by delivering controlled pulses to mimic a desired rhythm.

AV Dissociation

A state where the atria and ventricles depolarize independently with no association between them, as seen in Third Degree AV Block.