Starting to Read ECGs

This book is book aims to provide the beginner with a concise, practical and systematic guide to interpreting ECGs. It will serve not only as a starter text but also as an immediate bedside reference manual. Starting to Read ECGs: The Basics begins with fundamentals such as how to perform, record and interpret a normal ECG before progressing onto more complex topics, including what effects anatomical abnormalities of the heart, cardiac and non-cardiac conditions can have on the ECG. Each chapter has been supplemented with a multitude of images and diagrams to illustrate points and ease understanding, and concludes with both a summary of key points to reinforce knowledge and a quiz for reflective learning.

Starting to Read ECGs: The Basics is an updated version of that previously published by CriticAir and an essential resource for medical students, junior doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health care professionals involved in the recording and interpretation of ECGs who wish to build their knowledge and confidence.

• 12-lead ECGs
• Acute Coronary Syndromes
• Arrhythmias
• Cardiology
• Chamber Abnormalities
• Conduction Delay
• ECG
• EKG
• Electrocardiogram

• Plymouth, United Kingdom

  Alan Davies

• Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom

  Alwyn Scott

Alan Davies
Alan Davies graduated Birmingham City University with a 1st class honours degree; he also won a 1st place prize for adult nursing student in the inaugural Health Care Awards. At the time of writing this book Alan Davies was working as a nurse in the cardiac catheterisation labs at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. Alan has experience dealing with routine and emergency angiograms including primary PCI. Alan has also assisted in pacemaker/AICD insertion, Transoesopheageal Echo (TOE), cardioversion and electrophysiological studies. He has also authored three articles, two concerning ECG’s and one about permanent pacemakers, which were published in the British Journal of Nursing and the British Journal of Cardiac Nursing respectively. Alan also has a post graduate degree module in ECGs and arrhythmias.

Alwyn Scott
Alwyn Scott graduated from Birmingham University and has worked in the NHS since 1995. He is currently employed as Senior Staff Nurse for the Cardiology High Dependency Department at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire. His role is predominantly that of working with patients who are in the acute stages of having Heart Attacks both pre and post Primary PCI. Alwyn is also heavily involved in staff education. Alongside specialist knowledge in acute cardiac nursing and ECG interpretation, Alwyn also has a vast experience in emergency care, working in Accident and Emergency departments and also front line for the ambulance service responding to 999 calls.