About / Disclaimer / Technical
Blog purposes
The purpose of this blog is to present and interpret interesting ECGs, and to discuss ECGs with the audience. The ECG blog provides high res scans of electrocardiograms. An ECG should, if possible, always be interpreted in the context of the actual anamnesis, vital parameters, gender and age. Whenever these data are available, they will be provided. However, to ensure patient anonymity, such data may have to be slightly altered or left out.
Technical information, electrode lead placement and artifacts
Important note: All ECGs are recorded at 50mm/s and 10mm/mV unless stated otherwise. Paper speed of 50 mm/s is perhaps not the most common speed, but it is undenyebly the best speed for examining leads for P waves, measuring intervals and all other observations that are critical to arrhythmia interpretation. ALL ECGs on this blog are recorded on correctly calibrated machines, with correct electrode placement and with the patient in the supine position. In most cases, correct electrode placement is ensured, however this cannot be guaranteed for every recording. This is important to keep in mind, as lead displacement can lead to misdiagnosis. I. e. vertical displacement of the precordial leads is common, and alters the electrocardiographic morphology in ways that often result in R-wave changes. ST-T segment changes can also occur due to displaced leads.
All of these ECGs are recorded using a 50Hz noise filter, but some of them still contain noise artifacts. In most cases this is due to patient tremor/movement or reduced contact between patient skin and electrodes due to different circumstances.
Interpretation, clinical data and anamnesis
Generally, an ECGs should always be interpreted in the context of the available clinical information about the patient. As for the ECGs in this blog, such information is not always available. Though, when it is it will be provided alongside the ECG. For each ECG I will try to provide a description, interpretation / diagnosis and further comments. And remember, these are my own interpretations, and can therefore be discussed. Which is of course also the main purpose of this blog. So please post comments, corrections, interpretations, questions or whatever else your heart tells you too!
Short disclaimer
All ECGs, cases and patient descriptions are anonymized. Age, sex and other identifying information can and will be altered in many cases to protect the anonymity. All statements, opinions, observations and interpretations are representative only of the author (me), and must not be mistaken for anything else. Thus, there might and probably will occur regular errors, misspellings, faulty observations and interpretations. A reminder is due here that the blogs purpose is to generate discussion and information exchange, rather than to educate. Lastly, this blog or the author does not, has not and will never provide any medical advice to anyone. Emails regarding such matters will be ignored, and none of the blog material must be taken as medical advice by any means. None of the blogposts should in any way be considered medical or clinical advice. All texts in this blog are personal opinions and observations of the author.
External use
Use of information from The ECG Blog is encouraged for non-commercial and educational purposes with credit to ecgblog.com. All other uses require written permission only. Thanks!