12 lead showing block?

[Hockey]

Stupid question from a simple basic


If I hooked up a 12 lead to me, would it show any blockages in my heart (arteries clogged)? Percentage?


Was just wondering since I don't get to play with 12 lead stuff much

 

[VentMedic]

If I hooked up a 12 lead to me, would it show any blockages in my heart (arteries clogged)? Percentage?

Changes would show when the blockages become problematic.

The Cardiac Cath Lab and the Cardiac CT give the results to what you may be asking about.

 

[daedalus]

No, not exactly. The 12 lead EKG preforms a tracing of the heart's electrical activity, from different "angles". The heart has two electrical nodes, known as the SA (pacemaker node) and AV node. These are groups of specialized cells that produce the characteristic EKG pattern. The SA node sits up in the atria, and fires at a rate of 60-100 impulses per minute. These impulses cause a contraction of the atria, and signal the AV node to fire, with a small delay to allow the blood from the atria to fill the ventricles. The AV node conducts a impulse down into the ventricles through certain fibers of conducting tissue.

The coronary arteries are not directly related to this process, and slight incomplete blockages will not show up. However, if a blockage becomes severe enough to cause ischemia, the cells beyond the blockage that are starving for oxygen will have a higher than normal resting voltage, creating a pattern known as ST elevation that will show up on the EKG. Old heart attacks may also be evidenced on the EKG due to permeant damage to the myocardium.

 

[boingo]

When you hear people talking about "blocks" in regard to 12 ld EKG's, they are refering to delay in conduction, (electric impulse) not obstruction to flow (perfusion).

 

[April992]

Agreed!

At what level where you live can you do 12 leads?

The province I work in have now allowed PCP/EMT or what you'd call EMT-B to do 12 lead tracings and interpret them.

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

Stupid question from a simple basic


If I hooked up a 12 lead to me, would it show any blockages in my heart (arteries clogged)? Percentage?


Was just wondering since I don't get to play with 12 lead stuff much

When you hear people talking about "blocks" in regard to 12 ld EKG's, they are refering to delay in conduction, (electric impulse) not obstruction to flow (perfusion).

Not necessarily. If you were having an Acute Myocardial Infarction with marked ST elevation in V2-V4, I would summize you had a blockage in your Left Anterior Descending coronary artery. To officially diagnose that would require a cardiac cath. As to what percentage, that would also require a cardiac cath.

Oh, and FYI. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

 

[Shishkabob]

with marked ST elevation in V2-V4, I would summize you had a blockage in your Left Anterior Descending coronary artery.

God, what did I get myself in to?

 

[daedalus]

Linuss,

"There are twelve leads in total, each recording the electrical activity of the heart from a different perspective, which also correlate to different anatomical areas of the heart for the purpose of identifying acute coronary ischemia or injury"

Elevation of the ST segment often is a sign of ischemia. Elevation present in specific leads will often show the location of the infarction.

 

[Shishkabob]

Elevation of the ST segment often is a sign of ischemia. Elevation present in specific leads will often show the location of the infarction.

See, now that makes sense.

 

[boingo]

Not necessarily. If you were having an Acute Myocardial Infarction with marked ST elevation in V2-V4, I would summize you had a blockage in your Left Anterior Descending coronary artery. To officially diagnose that would require a cardiac cath. As to what percentage, that would also require a cardiac cath.

Oh, and FYI. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

I was thinking the OP was confusing the term "heart block" with obstruction. Perhaps I'm the one who misunderstood.

 

[Scott33]

I was thinking the OP was confusing the term "heart block" with obstruction. Perhaps I'm the one who misunderstood.

It can be confusing. The blockage of electrical conduction through the heart, versus the blockage of a coronary artery by a thrombus - which can cause the blockage of electrical conduction through the heart. :wacko:

Working with models and diagrams during training is a big help though.