Atrial Fibrillation | Reference Guide

ECG Strip

Atrial Fibrillation Rhythm Strip Features

Rate: Very fast (> 350 bpm) for Atrial, but ventricular rate may be slow, normal or fast
Rhythm: Irregular
P Wave: Absent - erratic waves are present
PR Interval: Absent
QRS: Normal but may be widened if there are conduction delays
Not all fibrillatory waves are created equal. The "f" waves can be coarse (majority measure 3 mm or more) or can be fine (majority of waveforms measure less than 3 mm) to almost absent.
Atrial fibrillation is a common type of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) arrhythmia, characterized by chaotic, quivering atria. These atrial fibrillations result in atrial contractions that are ineffective and out of coordination with the ventricles.
External Source: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/af/
National Institutes of Health

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Authors and Sources

Authors and Reviewers

ECG heart rhythm modules: Thomas O'Brien.
ECG monitor simulation developer: Steve Collmann
12 Lead Course: Dr. Michael Mazzini, MD.
Spanish language ECG: Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
Medical review: Dr. Jonathan Keroes, MD
Medical review: Dr. Pedro Azevedo, MD, Cardiology
Last Update: 11/8/2021

Sources

Electrocardiography for Healthcare Professionals, 5th Edition Kathryn Booth and Thomas O'Brien
ISBN10: 1260064778, ISBN13: 9781260064773
McGraw Hill, 2019
Rapid Interpretation of EKG's, Sixth Edition
Dale Dublin
Cover Publishing Company
12 Lead EKG for Nurses: Simple Steps to Interpret Rhythms, Arrhythmias, Blocks, Hypertrophy, Infarcts, & Cardiac Drugs
Aaron Reed
Create Space Independent Publishing
Heart Sounds and Murmurs: A Practical Guide with Audio CD-ROM 3rd Edition
Elsevier-Health Sciences Division
Barbara A. Erickson, PhD, RN, CCRN
The Virtual Cardiac Patient: A Multimedia Guide to Heart Sounds, Murmurs, EKG Jonathan Keroes, David Lieberman
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkin)
ISBN-10: 0781784425; ISBN-13: 978-0781784429
Project Semilla, UCLA Emergency Medicine, EKG Training Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH