Great Basic ECG Info

Thank you so much . . . . I hate this stuff. But gotta know it. So, refreshing my brain every once in awhile helps.

What bugs the crap out of me is the names of the heart blocks . . . . so many that it gets confusing . . not what is happening in the heart, just the darn names. 1st degree, 2nd degree, type 1, type 2, aka mobitz/wencheback . . . . arggghh.

steph

Ok - I've mentioned this on other threads but I get frustrated by the inconsistencies in cardiac teaching.

One example was last week reading an EKG interpretation book - I studied the chapter on heart blocks and then took the test. On two test questions, the ekg I interpreted did not show heart block but the book said they were heart blocks. I went back to look at the examples and they did not match in any way, shape or form the heart blocks in that chapter nor did the actual measurements match.

I've just been going through the link you provided - very good fundamental information with graphics. However I just came across this:

"R" is the contraction of the ventricles, left before right. The "R" is the left ventricle and "S" is the right ventricle.

versus . .

A bundle branch block causes the following. "When this happens, the ventricles don't contract at exactly the same time, as they should,"

So, there is another discrepancy that is driving me crazy.

The R wave is the left ventricle that contracts just prior to the right ventricle, which is the S wave.

Or

They contract at exactly the same time?????

steph