Axis & Deviation ECG Interpretation
Description
- Axis is the general flow of electricity as it passes through the heart from the SA node all the way to the Purkinje fibers.
- It is typically obtained from the limb or frontal plane leads.
- The axis of the heart can change for a number of different reasons from birth defects which affect the physical location of the heart i.e. Dextrocardia, to obesity to pregnancy among others.
- If you can envision a circle with a centered vertical and horizontal line superimposed over the chest, you would note that the normal heart is located in the lower left quadrant of this circle.
- You will be provided an example of this image in a few slides.
Electrical Axis Determination
Axis determination can be determined a number of different ways. From complex to simple. The following steps are the easiest I know to obtain this important information.
Electrical Axis Determination
Imagine a large circle, divided into four equal quadrants superimposed over the patient’s chest.
Authors and Sources
Authors and Reviewers
- EKG heart rhythm modules: Thomas O'Brien.
- EKG monitor simulation developer: Steve Collmann
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12 Lead Course: Dr. Michael Mazzini, MD.
- Spanish language EKG: Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
- Medical review: Dr. Jonathan Keroes, MD
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Heart sounds and mentorship: W. Proctor Harvey, MD
- Medical review: Dr. Pedro Azevedo, MD, Cardiology
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Last Update: 1/8/2023
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 - Clinical Heart Disease
W Proctor Harvey, MD
Clinical Heart Disease
Laennec Publishing; 1st edition (January 1, 2009) -
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
