×
MedSchool: Ace Your OSCEsThe Medical Company
 
 
 
 
 
GET - On the App Store
View
ECG Disease Patterns
 
ECG Disease Patterns
 

Pericardial Effusions on ECG

February 15th, 2021
 
 
 
Bookmark

Overview

Pericardial effusions tend to cause ECG changes only when they are massive, and ECG changes are a poor indicator of pericardial effusions overall.
The classical ECG changes in pericardial effusion are sinus tachycardia, low QRS voltage and electrical alternans.
  • ECG Findings in Pericardial Effusion

  • Sinus tachycardia
  • Low voltage (reduced QRS amplitude)
  • Electrical alternans - variation of the QRS amplitude between beats (thought to be due to swinging of the heart while suspended in fluid)
  • Examples

  • A low voltage ECG trace
  • A low voltage ECG trace
     
  • Electrical alternans
  • Electrical alternans
     
Next Page
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want more info like this?
  • Your electronic clinical medicine handbook
  • Guides to help pass your exams
  • Tools every medical student needs
  • Quick diagrams to have the answers, fast
  • Quizzes to test your knowledge
Sign Up Now
   
 
 

Snapshot: Initialising...