About electrocardiogram

Question

What does the phrase "rhythm strip" mean?

Is this a trick question, Luis? - rac1, Apr 27, 2014

:P - rac1, Apr 27, 2014

Answer 1

It is usually an ECG or EKG. An EKG, also known as an ECG, measures the electrical waves and impulses of the heart. Electrodes, either 10 or 12 are placed on specific areas of the chest, arms and legs. Wires are connected to the electrodes. The impulses of the heart are picked up via the electrodes and sent through the wire to produce a graph of the heart's electrical conductivity. Heart rates and palpitations are commonly diagnosed. The rhythm strip is a more precise way to detect a problem on an otherwise normal EKG. The EKG is a snapshot, if you will, for a moment in time whereas the rhythm strip is a continuous feed.

I'm impressed by your knowledge, Rac. - annierats, Apr 27, 2014

I am in the medical field, but not a physician. - rac1, Apr 27, 2014

Answer 2

In my experience:

A 12 lead EKG is a traditional EKG which provides 12 different channesl, each of just a few beats.

A rhythm strip takes just one or a few (eg 3) of those channels and runs if for a longer time.

The first (12-lead) allows analysis of different parts of the heart, as a heart attack or some other issues might only be evident on some channels, and not all. For a heart attack, different channels show abnormalities depending on what area of the heart is affected.

The second (the rhythm strip) gives more beats to allow for identification of intermittent rhythm issues or when a longer run of beats is needed to distinguish between rhythm abnormalities that might appear similar in a shorter run.

This probably a bit simplistic, but I think it gets at the basics.

rhythm strip (3 lead): 12 lead with 1 lead rhythm stip:

Just for complete clarity, I would point out that traditionally 10 leads are placed on the body- 6 "v" leads across the chest and 4 "limb" leads (often on the torso near each limb). - bosquederoble, Apr 27, 2014

The twelve leads on the ekg are derived as 6 inputs directly from the v leads, and 6 derived from manipulation of data from the limb leads. I used the term channels to avoid confusion of the term lead as the thing placed on the patient and .... - bosquederoble, Apr 27, 2014

lead on the EKG, but the term is usually used for both. :) - bosquederoble, Apr 27, 2014