Beyond the Basics: A Sampling of Puzzling Dysrhythmias

Abstract

Most basic dysrhythmia instruction concentrates on the fundamentals of cardiac rhythms and the criteria that make one dysrhythmia different from another. Over the past 2 decades, advances in treatment of acute coronary syndromes have made once-common dysrhythmias very rare. This article provides an overview of a few uncommon dysrhythmias (wide-QRS tachycardia, advanced atrioventricular block, sinoatrial exit block, and atrial fibrillation with complete heart block) that may be encountered when caring for patients with cardiac disorders.