How Do You Read A Ekg. Alternately you can count the complexes on the rhythm strip which represents 10 seconds. 7 steps to reading an ekg ecg. The qrs complex normally starts with a downward. These signal components are called p q r s t and u.
For example if there are 7 r waves in a 6 second strip the heart rate is 70 7x10 70. A normal ekg recording consist of components which mark electrical events in the heart. Check the date and time that the ecg was performed. This must come first. There are many clues you can learn when obtaining the ekg that will help you analyze and act on what you see. Confirm the name and date of birth of the patient matches the details on the ecg.
The p wave is the first component and is a short upward movement on the rhythm strip.
The qrs complex normally starts with a downward. For example if there are 7 r waves in a 6 second strip the heart rate is 70 7x10 70. Before beginning ecg interpretation you should check the following details. Summary of how to read an ekg. Count the number of spikes that are in a 6 second readout and multiply the number by 10 to get an approximate rate. Alternately you can count the complexes on the rhythm strip which represents 10 seconds.