ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE IN ECG

As you can see by this graphic, the ECG changes in very different ways when there is a calcium
imbalance versus a potassium imbalance. It's a matter of width versus height, respectively.
Take a look at potassium levels:

Take a look here at the graphic above. As the potassium level rises, the QT segment becomes
depressed, the T waves becomes peaked as the QRS complex becomes depressed. At a
potassium level of 9.0, the heart rhythm is starting to look an awful lot like ventricular
fibrillation, which can be fatal (that's a rhythm you would shock..."defib the v-fib").
Now,

let's

look

at

hypercalcemia:

Here you see that the QT segment becomes shorter. This is really the only real difference
between a normal calcium level and a high calcium level on the ECG. This results in
tachycardia (increased heart rate), and with a high enough calcium level, it can result in an
arrhythmia, and ultimately death.