Making Sense of the ECG

Interpreting an ECG correctly and working out what to do next can seem like a daunting task to the non-specialist, yet it is a skill that will be invaluable to any doctor, nurse or paramedic when evaluating the condition of a patient. Making Sense of the ECG has been written specifically with this in mind, and will help the student and more experienced healthcare practitioner to identify and answer crucial questions. This popular, easy-to-read and easy-to-remember guide to the ECG as a tool for diagnosis and management has been fully updated in its fifth edition to reflect the latest guidelines.

Table of Contents

Anatomy and physiology. PQRST: Where the waves come from. Performing an ECG recording. Reporting an ECG recording. Heart rate. An approach to heart rhythms. Supraventricular rhythms. Ventricular rhythms. Conduction problems. The axis. The P wave. The PR interval. The Q wave. The QRS complex. The ST segment. The T wave. The QT interval. The U wave. Artefacts on the ECG. ECG interpretation in athletes. Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. Ambulatory ECG recording. Exercise ECG testing Appendix 1: Glossary Appendix 2: ECG resources Appendix 3: Help with the next edition