Normal ECG for

reference
6 beats per
5 seconds =

Tachycardia
BMP =

Increased heart rate is a normal response to:

__________________
__________________
stress
drugs e.g._____________, nicotine, amphetamine (speed).
Tachycardia is elevated heart rate for no reason.
Sometimes heart rate is so high that little blood is actually pumped:
filling time too short.
Treatment might involve:
relaxation therapy
-blocker.

Bradycardia
Bradycardia

Pattern of electrical activity is normal but slow.

Reduced heart rate could indicate:

BMP =

aerobic
fitness
(eliteisathletes
likeslow.
Steve Redgrave have
good
Pattern
of electrical
activity
normal but
ca.could
45 bpm).
resting
Reducedheart
heart of
rate
indicate:
good aerobic fitness (elite athletes like Steve Redgrave have resting
heart of might
ca. 45 be
bpm).
Alternatively
caused by drugs:
Alternatively might be caused by drugs:
tranquilisers
tranquilisers
_________________________________.
Cause may need investigation:
-blocker.
stagnation
risk of blood clots.

Cause may need investigation:

stagnation

risk of blood and

clots. weak
Uncoordinated
contraction
___ beats per 5 seconds =

Heart block

What does the ECG show?

____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Ventricular hypertrophy

P wave and atrial contraction is normal.

QRS complex is distorted due to hypertrophy of one side of the

heart.

Hypertrophy means enlargement.

Cause of the hypertrophy needs investigating:
high blood pressure could be responsible for thickening of left
ventricle.

Ventricular fibrillation (VF)

Uncoordinated and weak contraction

Contraction of cardiac muscle is normally coordinated.

In VF the ventricles contract, but it is not coordinated:
fluttering
little blood is pumped.
Defibrillation may work:
heart is shocked
heart stops
when it restarts, it may do so with a normal rhythm.