Can anyone explain J waves to me?

Diahni · Mar 9, 2007

b eyes

I'm just a student, but I find the internet to be fabulous at answering my questions. I typed j waves in google and got the site below. there's plenty more. I especially like the powerpoint lectures I find....

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/101/13/1627

Diahni

f360 · Mar 11, 2007

b eyes,

I'm confused too. I'm not sure why you wouldn't use a bear-hugger on

J-waves are the conduction defect of a cold myocardium. They look like a notch or a bump on the S wave in the QRS complex. They can vary in size depending which lead you're looking at.

Hope that helps...

tookewlandy · Mar 11, 2007

Is the J wave the same thing as the J point the ends at the end of the QRS complex and beginning of the ST segment??

or are they something else??

kmoonshine, RN · Mar 11, 2007

My theory: you can use a bear-hugger on a patient with a temp.

We had a patient a few weeks ago with a rectal temp of 84 (and a BG

On a side note: research has shown that inducing hypothermia in patients who survive cardiac arrest increases their chances of survivalby by 10%-15%. The push has been for EMT's, paramedics, firefighters, etc. to use this technique in the field since "time is tissue".

f360 · Mar 11, 2007

My understanding is that J-point elevation that is caused by hypothermia is called a J-wave or an Osborne wave, so yes, it is essentially the same thing. We only use the term J-wave/Osborne wave if the patient has hypothermia.

J-point elevation can be a normal finding in some patients or a sign of pathology (Brugada syndrome, short QT, hypothermia etc.) but the physiology is the same... it occurs when the transmural voltage gradient becomes exaggerated (epicardium >>> endocardium) and causes the notching.

f360 · Mar 11, 2007

Circulation (by the AHA) has put out an article with guidelines on Hypothermia in November 2005. It's a great read.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/112/24_suppl/IV-136.pdf

MeryMellen · Mar 22, 2007

Maybe it has something to do with not rewarming patients too quickly. If you raise the temperature too quickly in a person with a hypothalmus that is properly funtioning they can have a drop in temperature.