EKG Lab

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Oh How We Love Our EKG Readings!

     In a normal heart beat the PQRS and T waves follow a similar pattern over a period of time where the pattern is continuous and consistent. However in an irregular heart beat, it is seemingly the upside down version of a normal one. The PQRS and T change and vary and are inconsistent. An irregular heartbeat is an arrhythmia, also known as dysrhythmia. Heart rates can also be irregular. A normal heart rate is 50 to 100 beats per minute. Arrhythmias and abnormal heart rates don't always conincide with one another in all cases. Arrhythmias can occur with a normal heart rate, or with heart rates that are slow. Heart rates that are less than 50 beats per minute are called bradyarrhythmias.  Arrhythmias can also occur with rapid heart rates. Rapid heart rates are known as tachyarrhythmias, they average more than 100 beats per minute.
Fun Fact!
In the United States, more than 850,000 people are hospitalized for an arrhythmia each year

There are different ways of measuring the heart as well as different types of Arrhythmias.

Heart Measuring Techniques:
Echocardiography: 
     A technique that uses ultrasound to visualize the various areas of the heart
Electrocardiography (EKG): 
     A visual representation of the heart's electrical activity over a period of time
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): 
     A technique to obtain high-resolution images of organs within the human body. This is done by mapping the distribution of hydrogen nuclei.
Auscultation: 
     The act of using a stethoscope to listen to sounds made by the heart, blood, and lungs.

Different Arrhythmias:
Atrial Flutter: Atrial flutter is similar to AF, but instead of the electrical signals spreading through the atria in a fast and irregular rhythm, they travel in a fast and regular rhythm. Atrial flutter is much less common than AF, but it has similar symptoms.
Ventricular Fibrillation: This occurs when disorganized electrical signals make the ventricles quiver instead of pump normally. Without the ventricles pumping blood out to the body, you'll lose consciousness within seconds and die within minutes if not treated.
Atrial Fibrillation: This is the most common type of heart arrhythmia, along with one of the most serious. It results in very fast and irregular contraction of the Atria. In AF the heart's electric signal doesn't start at the SA Node, the signal begins in another part of the Atria or in pulmonary veins that are closely linked.

MY EKG

This picture is of my own EKG, that Logan and I tested. As you can see not everyone's heart beat is the same and they vary with each person. And in my case my QRS is a little higher then most ventricularr reactions, but overall I have a pretty normal heart rythem!

 

Lab Procedure!
In this lab our first step was the connecting of the EKG Monitor to the computer, through the USB plug in. We then opened up Mr. Ludwig's hard to find file of "12 Analyzing Heart EKG" in the Logger Pro Program. After that we attached three electrode tabs to our arms. On your right arm two tabs were placed on the upper forearm and the other was placed on the middle of your wrist. Then on the left arm another tab was place, on the inner part of the forearm. From there we connected the EKG clips to the electrode tabs, and tested each other in sitting relaxed positions with the arms rested on the legs. After everything was set up we began to test and record data.

-The P Wave in this diagram represents the Atrial Contraction

-The QRS Wave represents Ventricular Reaction

-The T Wave represents Ventricular Re-polarization, which is also the resting period of the heart

-The QT Interval represents the time for both the ventricular deploarization and repolarization to occur, which is roughly an estimate of the duration of an average ventricular action.

-The RR Interval represents the time the impulse takes to reach the ventricles.

Special Thanks To Nicole's Blog For Helping Me Find My Way Around Writing This Post! Thank You!