Baseline ECG changes in life-threatening arrhytmia

When assesing patients with collapse with unidentified cause, its possible underlying arrhytmia is present. The following ECG changes can suggest this

  • 1. Short PR interval and delta-wave: WPW
  • 2. Epsilon wave in arrhytmogenic (right) cardiomyopathy
  • 3. Long QT syndrome
  • 4. Brugada sign (type 1 or type 2)

 

This list is ongoing and not complete yet

Differential diagnosis

When making a differential diagnosis based on etiology you could use the mnemonic

A VITAMIN CPE.

Which stands for

Auto-imune, vascular, infection, trauma/toxic, a, metbolic/medication, iatrogenic/idiopahttic, neoplasma, congenital, psychiatric, endocrine