ARRYTHMIA 1

Question 1

arrhythmia

Answer 1

any deviation
from this normal system of electrical
impulse formation and conduction

Question 2

arrhythmias occur when

Answer 2

electrical impulse arises outside of the
sinus node, or is conducted abnormally
through the electrical conduction system

Question 3

types of arrhythmia

Answer 3

w Ectopic beats
w Atrial fibrillation (AF) and flutter
w Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
w Ventricular tachycardia (VT)
w Ventricular fibrillation (VF)

Question 4

Ectopic beats

Answer 4

single electrical impulses arising outside of

the sinus node.

Question 5

Ectopy

Answer 5

is a medical term meaning outside

of the normal place or position.

Question 6

single ectopic beats

Answer 6

are a normal phenomenon and do

not require medical treatment.

Question 7

Ectopic beats recognise?

types

Answer 7

w They are normally seen during sinus
rhythm, which causes it to appear
irregular at times
w All ectopic beats occur earlier than the
next sinus beat would be expected
Atrial ectopics
Junctional ectopics
Ventricular ectopics

Question 8

Atrial ectopics

Answer 8

are preceded by P-wave
with a different shape to the sinus beats.
The P-wave may distort the T-wave of
the previous beat if the ectopic is very
early. The QRS complex is narrow

Question 9

Junctional ectopics

Answer 9

have an inverted
P-wave. This may occur before or after the
QRS complex, or may be hidden by it. As
with atrial ectopics, the QRS is narrow

Question 10

Ventricular ectopics

Answer 10

are not preceded by
a P-wave. The QRS complex is wide and
bizarre. The T-wave is discordant; in
other words, it travels in the opposite
direction to the QRS.

Question 11

AF what is it?

triggered by?

Answer 11

is a disease of the left atrium. The
arrhythmia is triggered by ectopic beats arising from the pulmonary veins where they
enter the left atrium

Question 12

AF has a number of key

features that make it easy to recognise

Answer 12

w P-waves are replaced by fibrillation waves;
these distort the baseline of the ECG in a
constant, uneven pattern
w The rhythm is completely irregular; in
other words, there is no regular interval
between the QRS complexes
w The QRS complex is narrow, unless conduction in the ventricles is abnormal (e.g.
as a result of bundle-branch block)
w In some patients, fibrillation waves are
very small or cannot be seen; AF can still
be diagnosed by the lack of P-waves and
completely irregular rhythm.

Question 13

The treatment of AF depends

Answer 13

on presentation, symptoms and individual risk factors. All patients should be assessed for
stroke risk, and anticoagulation should be
commenced if risk factors are present

Question 14

types of AF treatment

Answer 14

terminate the rhythm using
either a coordinated electric shock through
the chest wall (direct-current (DC) cardioversion) or antiarrhythmic drugs, such as
amiodarone or flecainide
catheter ablation
is rapidly gaining acceptance as an effective
treatment,