Wide Complex Tachycardia

Cardiology, EKG,

Intro

There’s an old adage that wide complex tachycardia is VTach until proven otherwise. While this is true as do not want to miss any potentially lethal arrhythmia, it is also important to understand the differential for wide complex tachycardias so that we can tailor our potential treatments to the specific arrhythmia. It is also important to note that in any unstable patient with a wide complex tachycardia (or narrow complex tachycardia) that electricity is always safe.

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Narrow Complex Tachycardias

Cardiology, EKG,

Intro

The differential for narrow complex tachycardia is extremely important as it is the most commonly seen abnormal EKG in the emergency department. It includes rhythms such as sinus tachycardia, AVnRT, AVRT, atrial flutter, ectopic atrial tachycardia (EAT), atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT).

The goal of this blog is to run through this differential and give some methods to differentiate the rhythms. Although we will not delve too deep into antiarrhythmics, it is important to note that electricity is safe in all unstable rhythms no matter the etiology.

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Pacemaker Review

Cardiology, EKG,

Goal of This Blog

Pacemakers are becoming increasingly common as our population ages, and are seen more and more in the emergency department. The goal of this post is to summarize common pacemaker settings, the 5-letter nomenclature of pacemakers, indications for pacemaker placement, pacemaker components, common pacemaker complications (majority of blog), and lastly the management of pacemakers in the ED (including applying a magnet).  …And as always, the blog ends with some medical history

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