EMS 164 - ECG Rhythm Analysis & Interpretation for EMS Professionals

1. Anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system: pulmonary circulation, systemic circulation, effects of the autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular physiology (sequence of blood flow through the heart, cardiac cycle, stroke volume, cardiac output, preload and afterload, Frank-Starling Law, and receptor sites)
2. Basic electrophysiology: basic myocardial cell groups, primary properties of cardiac cells (automaticity, excitability, conductivity, contractility), major ions that affect cardiac function, movement of ions, cardiac depolarization, cardiac repolarization, and refractory periods
3. Electrical conduction system of the heart: location and function of each structure of the electrical conduction system of the heart, and normal pathway of an impulse through the electrical conduction system of the heart
4. The electrocardiogram (ECG): the basics of ECG monitoring, types of ECG leads, grids and markings on ECG graph paper, ECG waveforms, correlating ECG wave forms to cardiac events, steps to analyze the ECG tracing, calculate heart rate and heart rhythm, and causes of artifact
5. Analysis and interpretation of ECG rhythms and cardiovascular conditions
6. ECG rhythm interpretation and differential diagnosis for the acute coronary syndromes

1. Describe the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system. (1) 
2. Describe the electrophysiology of the cardiac conduction system. (2, 3)
3. Describe the types of ECG leads and views. (4)
4. Analyze ECG rhythms using standard methods. (5) 
5. Identify ECG abnormalities. (5)
6. Integrate knowledge of ECG guidelines, ECG, and structure and function of the cardiovascular and cardiac conduction systems to formulate a differential diagnosis for acute coronary syndromes. (6)