The Mechanisms of Abnormal Rhythm and Abnormal Automaticity

The Mechanisms of Abnormal Rhythm and Abnormal Automaticity

This lecture discusses the mechanisms of abnormal rhythm. The normal activation of the heart and the disturbances which result from pathological conditions of the heart are described. A review of cardiac electrophysiology and the electrical activity of the heart at a cellular level are provided. Enhanced and abnormal automaticity is described. Atrial tachycardia, junctional tachycardia, accelerated atrial ventricular rhythm and ventricular tachycardia, associated with abnormal automaticity, are described. Congenital abnormalities and drug effects upon the heart are discussed.

The main concepts explored in this session are:

• Normal activation of the heart
• Atrial tachycardia, junctional tachycardia
• Accelerated atrial ventricular rhythm and ventricular tachycardia
• Abnormal automaticity

James McVeigh is an authorised nurse practitioner in high dependency nursing. Jim is the coordinator of the Heart Failure Service at the Prince of Wales hospital, Sydney, Australia. He was a founding member of the Australian Nurse Practitioner Association. Jim is the Chair of the Cardiac Nurses Working Group within the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. Jim’s postgraduate qualifications are: Coronary Care Certificate, Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) and a Master of Clinical Nursing.

Speaker name: James McVeigh
Recorded: 7 & 8 May 2010
Listening time: 22 Mins
Conference: The 12 Lead ECG Advanced Analysis and Interpretation
Session in Conference: Mechanisms of arrhythmia part2
State: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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