Remove Bradycardia Remove Ischemia Remove Pacemaker
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Extreme Bradycardia: a Case-Based Lesson in Pacing

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

I tell the residents: "The pacemaker is just common sense: if there is no beat, it provides one; if there is one, it keeps itself from pacing." This is similar to Ken Grauer's comment at the bottom: "What would I do if I were a pacemaker?" This made me realize that pacemaker function is not as well understood as I thought.

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Torsade in a patient with left bundle branch block: is there a long QT? (And: Left Bundle Pacing).

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

Discontinue all negative chronotropic agents, since the risk of torsade is much higher with bradycardia or pauses. Place temporary pacemaker 3. There is ventricular bigeminy with bizarre appearing wide T-waves See even more striking cases of this at the bottom of the post. The plan: 1.

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An Unusual Bradycardia

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

My thoughts were the following: ECGs #1 and #2 showed a completely unreliable sinus pacemaker, with presumed high-grade 2nd-degree AV block — and frequent resultant pauses of over 2 seconds ( that would have been even longer had it not been for intermittent relief from the atrial escape focus ). What Does this All Mean?

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ECG Blog #399 — Which Laddergram is Correct?

Ken Grauer, MD

Is a pacemaker needed? Even if we stopped here — We could conclude the following: There is marked bradycardia in today's rhythm ( ie, Heart rate in the low 30s ). Finally — If today's patient does not have significant underlying coronary disease — then her bradycardia with AV block may be the result of SSS ( S ick S inus S yndrome ).

Blog 160
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A 50-something with chest pain. Is there OMI? And what is the rhythm?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

I will leave more detailed rhythm discussion to the illustrious Dr. Ken Grauer below, but this use of calipers shows that the rhythm interpretation is: Sinus bradycardia with a competing (most likely junctional) rhythm. The fact that R waves 2 through 6 are junctional does make ischemia more difficult to interpret -- but not impossible.

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What are treatment options for this rhythm, when all else fails?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

There is no definite evidence of acute ischemia. (ie, Simply stated — t he patient was having recurrent PMVT without Q Tc prolongation, and without evidence of ongoing transmural ischemia. ( Some residual ischemia in the infarct border might still be present. Both episodes are initiated by an "R-on-T" phenomenon.

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Syncope and Atrial fibrillation in a Healthy 70-something Male

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

We admitted him for probable EP study and possible pacemaker. He underwent pacemaker placement and is doing fine. SSS is by far the most common reason for permanent pacemaker placement. during which sinus bradycardia and arrhythmia are seen but not to a degree that produces symptoms. Learning Points: 1.