VFlutter
Flight Nurse
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Lately I have noticed that many providers (Medics, RNs and even some MDs) just label any rhythm with multiple P waves Atrial Flutter. The way I was taught was to distinguish between Atrial Flutter and Atrial Tachycardia with Av block. Does anyone else do this? Or is it just irrelevant to most providers except for cardiologist. Or maybe most people are not taught to distinguish the two just to make things easier. Anyway here is a break down of how I distinguish the two:
Atrial tach w/ block : regular or irregular rhythm containing multiple distinct P waves per QRS. If there is variable block some QRS may only have a single P wave at times but usually a wandering PR interval. The atrial rate is 150-250
Atrial flutter: Usually regular rhythm contain multiple p waves per QRS however not distinct p waves, usually "sawtooth" or F waves. Atrial rate 250-400
Maybe I am off on my interpretation of this but that Is how I understand it. I am assuming in the pre-hospital world it would not make much of a difference and would be treated the same. So any input?
Atrial tach w/ block : regular or irregular rhythm containing multiple distinct P waves per QRS. If there is variable block some QRS may only have a single P wave at times but usually a wandering PR interval. The atrial rate is 150-250
Atrial flutter: Usually regular rhythm contain multiple p waves per QRS however not distinct p waves, usually "sawtooth" or F waves. Atrial rate 250-400
Maybe I am off on my interpretation of this but that Is how I understand it. I am assuming in the pre-hospital world it would not make much of a difference and would be treated the same. So any input?