P-Deformed VEBs

Report:

Sinus tachycardia 102/min

VEBs

Comment:

In most cases P waves are not large enough to show through the superimposed VEBs; their presence is inferred from the completely compensatory pause containing the VEB. Here, the P waves are very large and the QS VEBs have opposite direction to them; further, the P waves fall in the middle of the ectopic QS complexes.

The VEBs look QRS rather than QS in shape; another differential diagnosis is junctional RS beats preceded by an inverted P’ wave and very short PR interval expected in junctional beats. Both notions are easily dispelled by mapping of the sinus P waves in their expected location.

Below (Fig 184a) is the patient’s 12-lead ECG, showing RAD from a lateral infarction and marked RAA. With small standard lead voltage and right precordial T inversion, it suggests cor pulmonale with RAD from RVH. In this case the ECG is misleading: the patient’s problems (mitral incompetence, dilated LV and anterior infarction) were primarily left-sided.

The P waves are taller than the QRS complex in lead 2, used for monitoring in Fig 184 above.

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