Pediatric ECG Interpretation: An Illustrated Guide

Pattern recognition is an important learning tool in the interpretation of ECGs. Unfortunately,
until faced with a patient with an arrhythmia or structural heart disease, pediatric practitioners
generally receive limited exposure to ECGs. The ability to clearly distinguish an abnormal ECG
pattern from a normal variant in an emergency situation is an essential skill, but one that many
pediatricians feel ill-prepared to utilize confidently. In Pediatric ECG Interpretation: An
Illustrative Guide, Drs. Deal, Johnsrude and Buck aim to address this issue by illustrating many of
the ECG patterns a pediatric practitioner is likely to encounter. ECG illustrations with
interpretations are presented in several categories: normal children of all ages, acquired
abnormalities such as hypertrophy or electrolyte disorders, and common congenital heart disease
lesions. Later sections cover bradycardia, supra-ventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, and a
basic section on pacemaker ECGs. Simple techniques used to interpret mechanisms of arrhythmias are
described as a resource for practitioners in cardiology, adult electrophysiology, or pediatrics who
may not have a readily accessible resource for these ECG examples.

More Reviews and Recommendations
Biography
Dr. Barbara J. Deal, MD. Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Medical School

Dr. Christopher L. Johnsrude, MD. Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Director of Electrophysiology,
University of Louisville School of Medicine

From the Publisher
Pattern recognition is an important learning tool in the interpretation of ECGs. Unfortunately,
until faced with a patient with an arrhythmia or structural heart disease, pediatric practitioners
generally receive limited exposure to ECGs. The ability to clearly distinguish an abnormal ECG
pattern from a normal variant in an emergency situation is an essential skill, but one that many
pediatricians feel ill-prepared to utilize confidently. In Pediatric ECG Interpretation: An
Illustrative Guide, Drs. Deal, Johnsrude and Buck aim to address this issue by illustrating many of
the ECG patterns a pediatric practitioner is likely to encounter. ECG illustrations with
interpretations are presented in several categories: normal children of all ages, acquired
abnormalities such as hypertrophy or electrolyte disorders, and common congenital heart disease
lesions. Later sections cover bradycardia, supra-ventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, and a
basic section on pacemaker ECGs. Simple techniques used to interpret mechanisms of arrhythmias are
described as a resource for practitioners in cardiology, adult electrophysiology, or pediatrics who
may not have a readily accessible resource for these ECG examples.



Table of Contents
Normal ECGs 16
Abnormal ECGs 40
Acquired heart disease 60
Congenital heart disease 88
Bradycardia and conduction defects 122
Supraventricular tachycardia 154
Ventricular arrhythmias 202
Pacemakers 240
App. 1 Age-related normal ECG values in children 257
App. 2 Criteria for distinguishing VT from SVT 258
App. 3 Location of accessory atrioventricular connection using initial delta wave polarity 259
App. 4 Indications for pacing in childhood 260