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An ECG is a way to measure and diagnose abnormal rhythms of the heart, particularly abnormal rhythms caused by damage to the conductive tissue that carries electrical signals, or abnormal rhythms caused by electrolyte imbalances. In a myocardial infarction (MI), the ECG can identify if the heart muscle has been damaged in specific areas, though not all areas of the heart are covered. The ECG cannot reliably measure the pumping ability of the heart, for which ultrasound-based (echocardiography) or nuclear medicine tests are used. It is possible for a human or other animal to be in cardiac arrest, but still have a normal ECG signal (a condition known as pulseless electrical activity). The ECG device detects and amplifies the tiny electrical changes on the skin that are caused when the heart muscle depolarizes during each heartbeat. At rest, each heart muscle cell has a negative charge, called the membrane potential, across its cell membrane. Decreasing this negative charge towards zero, ...

With First Aid for the Family Medicine Boards, we hope to provide residents and clinicians with the most useful and up-to-date preparation guide for the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) certification and recertification exams. This new addition to the First Aid series represents an outstanding effort by a talented group of authors and includes the following: ■ A practical exam preparation guide with resident-tested test-taking and study strategies ■ Concise summaries of thousands of board-testable topics ■ Hundreds of high-yield tables, diagrams, and illustrations ■ Key facts in the margins highlighting “must know” information for the boards --> ■ Mnemonics throughout, making learning memorable and fun ■ Timely updates and corrections through the First Aid Team’s blog at www.firstaidteam.com. Click picture above or click to download PDF

ECG and arrhythmia classification : Narrow complex arrhythmias (arise above bifurcation of the bundle of His) – QRS duration <0.1s (2.5 small squares) Broad complex arrhythmias (arise from ventricles or are conducted abnormally from a site above the ventricles so that a delay occurs (rarer). QRS duration is >0.1s (2.5 small squares). Narrow complex arrhythmias ·          Sinus arrhythmia ·          Sinus tachycardia ·          Sinus bradycardia ·          Junctional tachycardia ·          Atrial tachycardia, Atrial flutter ·          Atrial fibrillation ·          Atrial ectopics Broad complex arrhythmias ·          Ventric...