Basic ECG Course

Lesson 1 • Heart Rate and Rhythm Control

Describes autonomic modulation of heart rate and intrinsic pacemaker hierarchy. Prepares students to recognize normal versus abnormal rate patterns.

Lesson 2 • Generating the Electrical Signal

Explains how synchronized depolarization creates a detectable electrical field. Links cellular events to the surface ECG recording.

Lesson 3 • Cardiac Cell Electrical Properties

Covers resting membrane potential, depolarization, and repolarization in cardiac cells. Establishes the cellular basis needed to understand all ECG waveforms.

Lesson 1 • Special Lead Configurations

Introduces right-sided and posterior leads for extended diagnostic coverage. Builds on standard placement skills to detect otherwise hidden pathology.

Lesson 2 • Artifact Recognition and Prevention

Identifies motion, electrical interference, and poor contact artifacts. Distinguishing artifact from true pathology prevents misdiagnosis.

Lesson 3 • Precordial Lead Electrode Placement

Details anatomical landmarks for V1 through V6 electrode positioning. Misplacement alters R-wave progression and mimics pathology.

Lesson 4 • ECG Machine Components and Settings

Identifies hardware components, paper speed, and gain settings. Correct machine configuration is prerequisite to producing interpretable tracings.

Lesson 1 • ST Segment and T Wave

Establishes normal ST segment position and T wave polarity by lead. These baselines are essential for ischemia and repolarization abnormality detection.

Lesson 2 • PR Interval and AV Conduction

Measures PR interval and interprets its physiological meaning. Normal PR range is the baseline for recognizing all AV conduction disorders.

Lesson 3 • P Wave Morphology and Measurement

Analyzes P wave duration, amplitude, and axis as markers of atrial depolarization. Establishes normal benchmarks used to detect atrial abnormalities later.

Lesson 4 • QT Interval and U Wave

Teaches QT measurement, rate correction formulas, and U wave recognition. QTc prolongation is a critical safety marker requiring accurate baseline knowledge.

Lesson 1 • P Wave and T Wave Axis

Extends axis analysis to P and T wave vectors for comprehensive interpretation. Abnormal P or T axis narrows differential diagnoses for rhythm and repolarization disorders.

Lesson 2 • Methods for Axis Calculation

Teaches the isoelectric lead, quadrant, and two-lead methods for axis determination. Multiple methods allow rapid bedside estimation and precise calculation.

Lesson 3 • Left and Right Axis Deviation

Defines LAD and RAD criteria and lists their common clinical causes. Axis deviation is a key diagnostic clue for hemiblocks, hypertrophy, and lung disease.

Lesson 1 • Junctional Rhythms

Identifies junctional escape, accelerated junctional, and junctional tachycardia by rate and P wave relationship. Junctional rhythms signal AV node dominance when sinus function fails.

Lesson 2 • Atrial Flutter and Fibrillation

Distinguishes flutter from fibrillation using rate, regularity, and baseline characteristics. Both carry stroke risk and require accurate identification for management decisions.

Lesson 3 • Premature Atrial Complexes

Identifies PAC morphology, compensatory pause patterns, and clinical significance. PACs are common triggers for sustained supraventricular tachycardias.

Lesson 4 • Supraventricular Tachycardias

Differentiates AVNRT, AVRT, and atrial tachycardia by P wave location and RP interval. Correct SVT classification guides acute termination and long-term therapy choices.

Lesson 1 • Ventricular Tachycardia

Applies Brugada and other criteria to diagnose VT versus SVT with aberrancy. Misclassifying VT as SVT is a critical and potentially fatal error.

Lesson 2 • Ventricular Fibrillation and Asystole

Identifies the chaotic baseline of VF and the flat line of asystole. Both are cardiac arrest rhythms requiring immediate recognition and action.

Lesson 3 • Premature Ventricular Complexes

Characterizes PVC morphology, coupling intervals, and patterns such as bigeminy. Recognizing PVC burden and morphology guides risk stratification decisions.

Lesson 4 • Bundle Branch Blocks

Diagnoses RBBB and LBBB using QRS duration and morphology in key leads. Bundle branch blocks alter ST-T interpretation and require adjusted ischemia criteria.

Lesson 1 • Third-Degree (Complete) AV Block

Identifies complete AV dissociation with independent atrial and ventricular rates. Escape rhythm rate and QRS width indicate the level of block and urgency.

Lesson 2 • Second-Degree AV Blocks

Differentiates Mobitz I (Wenckebach) from Mobitz II using PR behavior and QRS width. Mobitz II carries higher risk of progression to complete block than Mobitz I.

Lesson 3 • First-Degree AV Block

Defines prolonged PR interval without dropped beats and lists common causes. First-degree block is often benign but may progress in certain clinical contexts.

Lesson 4 • Pacemaker Malfunction Patterns

Recognizes failure to pace, failure to capture, and failure to sense on ECG. Early malfunction detection prevents patient deterioration from device-dependent bradycardia.

Lesson 1 • Myocardial Ischemia Patterns

Identifies ST depression and T wave inversion as markers of subendocardial ischemia. Distinguishing ischemic from nonischemic ST-T changes prevents both over- and undertreatment.

Lesson 2 • Non-STEMI and Unstable Angina ECG

Identifies NSTEMI and unstable angina ECG patterns and their limitations. A normal ECG does not exclude acute coronary syndrome, a critical clinical caveat.

Lesson 3 • Evolutionary Changes of Infarction

Tracks ECG changes from hyperacute T waves through Q wave formation over time. Understanding the temporal sequence aids diagnosis when presentation timing is uncertain.

Lesson 4 • STEMI Recognition and Localization

Applies STEMI criteria and maps ST elevation to coronary artery territories. Rapid and accurate STEMI identification is the most time-critical ECG skill in clinical practice.