SVT or afib on ECG?

Just got back from my Cardiologist who couldn't decide if this was afib or SVT below. It's been about 2 years since I had my first afib episode that was mainly due to low potassium. I have been taking Magnesium and Potassium supplements and I thought things were normal, but a week ago I just sat down at my computer to do some work when I felt "anxious" in my chest. I grabbed my Kardia about 20 secs into the episode (about 35 secs total for what I felt was an arrhythmia and what I recorded) and recorded the ECG. My fingers slipped off the pads just as I went back to NSR that you can see.

My cardiologist said either SVT or afib, but since it was less than a minute, no big deal. Just keep watching out for them and if they get worse, i.e., longer than 2 years between episodes or longer than a minute, then we can decide next steps.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2018 11:31AM by Fibbin AFib.

" (...) longer than 2 years between episodes (...) "

Doesn't have the variability of afib, but also doesn't appear to have "p" waves, absence of p waves is a hallmark of afib. Next time, if you hold one electrode in your right hand and put the other around your left hip or knee (anywhere in that part of the body, it will give more of a Lead II presentation, which will make the p wave, if it exists, more distinct. If you don't get a good contact, wetting or licking the electrodes will help.

Looks like flutter to me with a rate of 140-170 bpm. As with all atrial arrhythmia, it's going to do what it's going to do when it wants to do it. Thankfully yours didn't last long.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2018 05:57PM by wolfpack.

Thanks all for the input.

Wolfpack, I don't think it is flutter due to the possible missing P Wave (i can see it peaking thru on some of the Ts, and the Kardia sometimes has trouble capturing them) and the single Wave, whatever it is, between QRS segments.

I am thinking it was more of an SVT, the more comparisons I do... Missing P Waves, with regular intervals. I also have a run of sinus tachycardia for a minute or so every 6 months or so. It was about time something like this happened.

Hi all,

I am new to my Kardia and the ECG printouts are incomprehensible to me.

I've searched online for primer in the basics of reading an ECG but can't seem to find anything which is for non-health professionals.

Anyone have any suggestions where l can find ECG Reading for Dummies?

Thanks and regards,

Anne
New South Wales, Australia

Google Dr Najeeb videos?

Impossible to identify this positively from just a single lead rhythm strip. After all, even a cardiologist couldn't.

Yeah, a guess on my part. I wouldn’t put any money on it.