Anaesthesia Fundamentals | Physiology | The Electrocardiogram and Arrhythmias

The Electrocardiogram and Arrhythmias
Session overview
Description
This session considers how abnormalities of the cardiac conduction system alter the ECG.

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Describe how the ECG is formed by the action potential of the heart spreading through the specialist conduction system into the contractile tissues
• Explain how abnormalities of the pacemaker system alters the ECG
• Describe how an area of ischaemia of the myocardium can be mapped in the ECG
• Explain the system for categorizing pacemakers and how these affect the ECG

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should complete:

• Cardiac Electrophysiology (001-0640)

This session continues on from Cardiac Electrophysiology (001-0640). You will now understand cardiac action potential, the normal cardiac conduction system and the formation of the electrocardiogram.

As an anaesthetist, it is important that you also consider how abnormalities of the cardiac conduction system can alter the ECG.