Arrhythmias: Approach to ECG interpretation

Dukes McEwan, Jo ORCID: 0000-0002-0326-8251 (2025) Arrhythmias: Approach to ECG interpretation In: 2nd Middle Eastern & African Veterinary Congress, 2025-10-17 - 2025-10-19, Jafza One Convention Centre, Dubai, UAE..

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Abstract

Introduction: Cardiac arrhythmias are common in dogs and cats. They may be associated with structural heart disease or systemic diseases. They may vary in severity from being incidental in asymptomatic patients to being a cause of cardiac death. Objectives: The only way to safely diagnose an arrhythmia is by an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). A systematic approach to ECG interpretation will be guided, so that delegates are comfortable to diagnose common arrhythmias in small animal practice. Methods: The ECG should include several simultaneous leads (e.g. 3-lead or 6-lead). It is important to identify the sweep or paper speed of the ECG (usually 25 mm/s or 50 mm/s) since that allows you to determine the heart rate. Decide whether the QRS complexes look normal and narrow – i.e. are depolarizations travelling normally through the His-Purkinje system of the ventricles? Or are they wide and bizarre? – these may be ventricular ectopic complexes, or supraventricular with aberrant conduction through the ventricles (including bundle branch blocks). Decide if there is a P wave for every QRS and QRS for every P wave. P waves may be absent with normal QRS complexes in atrial fibrillation (a tachyarrhythmia) (or atrial standstill, a bradyarrhythmia). There may be more QRS complexes than P waves for 2nd or 3rd degree atrioventricular blocks. The P wave may look abnormal (a P’ wave) for supraventricular (atrial) tachyarrhythmias. The ECG may also indicate electrolyte disturbances or systemic conditions. Conclusions: Delegates will become confident about the diagnosis of common arrhythmias in veterinary practice.

Item Type:	Conference Item (Unspecified)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Electrocardiography, EKG, cardiac arrhythmias, tachyarrhythmias, bradyarrhythmias
Divisions:	Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Infection, Vet & Ecological Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Infection, Vet & Ecological Sciences > Small Animal Clinical Science
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	21 Nov 2025 08:37
Last Modified:	21 Nov 2025 08:37
Related Websites:	Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3195535
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