Understanding the ECG. Part 3: Arrhythmias

In this third article of the British Journal of Cardiac Nursing’s ECG series, we will examine arrhythmias
caused by abnormal impulse generation. The intention is not to explain every possible rhythm
disturbance, but rather to review the most common and clinically relevant arrhythmias, and describe
how they can be recognised on the ECG. We will also place each arrhythmia in clinical context by
briefly discussing why it occurs, and how it is treated. Hopefully this process will illustrate the
mechanisms that cause arrhythmias, and deepen the reader’s understanding of the electrical
function of the heart. The rhythm disturbances that we will cover in this article are as follows:
 Ectopic beats
 Atrial fibrillation (AF) and flutter
 Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
 Ventricular tachycardia (VT)
 Ventricular fibrillation (VF)

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, copyright © MA Healthcare, after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see 10.12968/bjca.2016.11.1.15