Remove AFIB Remove Arrhythmia Remove Cardiac Arrest
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How a pause can cause cardiac arrest

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

While on telemetry monitoring he suffered cardiac arrest and was resuscitated. What ECG finding may have contributed to (or precipitated) the cardiac arrest? Learning points : Takotsubo can lead to cardiac arrest from ventricular arrhythmia. There are no clear signs of OMI. There is a prolonged QTc.

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What is this ECG finding? Do you understand it before you hear the clinical context?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

We periodically review this intriguing ECG finding that is best known for its association with hypothermia — but which may also be seen in association with a number of other entities, including acute infarction and cardiac arrest. My Comment addresses a few additional aspects of this phenomenon. Baseline artifact is no longer present.

Blog 134
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ECG Blog #385 — This Patient Arrested Soon After

Ken Grauer, MD

Blood was drawn , and the patient was promptly placed in a room to be seen — but on entering, the ED physician found her unresponsive in cardiac arrest. Do you see any indication on this ECG of WHY this patient was about to arrest? Is there any indication on this ECG of WHY this patient shortly after had a cardiac arrest?

Blog 78
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A 40 year old with nonspecific symptoms including dizziness

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

Smith’s ECG Blog: SQTS is an inherited cardiac channelopathy determined by the presence of symptoms ( syncope, cardiac arrest ) — positive family history — and the ECG finding of an abnormally short QTc interval. SQTS is a relatively new diagnosis that has only been recognized as a distinct clinical entity since 2000.

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Sudden shock with a Nasty looking ECG. What is it?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

Some patients have baseline RBBB with LAFB, but in patients with likely ACS, these are associated with severe infarction with cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock or impending shock. Suffice it to say that, "The heart does whatever it will do when a patient is about to arrest". RBBB + LAFB in the setting of ACS is very bad.

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Patient in Single Vehicle Crash: What is this ST Elevation, with Peak Troponin of 6500 ng/L?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

He has a family history concerning for arrhythmia. Given the circumstances of his car crash, we presume it was due to an underlying arrhythmia. He has a family history concerning for arrhythmia with his father requiring some sort of device (PPM, ICD, unclear) at a young age.

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20-something with huge verapamil overdose and cardiogenic shock

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

I focus my comments purely on a few sophisticated concepts in arrhythmia recognition — fully aware that specific rhythm disorders with calcium channel toxicity need not be treated per se, beyond providing cardiovascular support. It's always rewarding and mutually educational to discuss interesting aspects of arrhythmia interpretation.