Cardiovascular Physiology

Felice Aull, Ph.D.

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (EKG) TUTORIAL

Created by the Hippocrates Project for the Macintosh computer; programmed in Supercard.

Goals

1. To learn the electrophysiological basis for the electrocardiogram (EKG) by means of diagrams and animations.

2. To learn how the electrocardiogram reflects the sequence of cardiac depolarization and repolarization as seen by standard, augmented, and precordial leads (electrodes).

3. To learn how to interpret the EKG on the basis of electrophysiological knowledge.

Where to find the program

The program is accessible on World Wide Web. It requires Netscape 3.0, Shockwave plug-in software, and a computer with a least 24 megs of RAM memory. Computers in the Coles third floor rooms have the necessary configuration. Set the monitor (under Control Panel, Monitor, Options) to 832 x 625. Virtual Memory should be turned on (Control Panel, Memory).

Check with the CMC staff regarding availability at other sites. Web access is through the Hippocrates Project Resources for Medical Education page:

(URL = http://mchip00.med.nyu.edu./med-ed.html)

General Description

Part I is relevant to the Physiology course in that it is a tutorial on how to understand the normal EKG, using diagrams and animations. The entire tutorial takes approximately 1 hr. to complete. It is comprised of 7 parts:

1. Theoretical Basis of the EKG
2. EKG Leads (Introduction)
3. Parts of the EKG
4. The Sequence of Cardiac Depolarization and Repolarization
5. The EKG Seen from the Standard and Augmented Limb Leads
6. The EKG Seen from the Precordial Limb Leads
7. The QRS Mean Electrical Axis

Part II is an interactive tutorial on EKG interpretation and includes many different abnormalities. If you enjoy EKG interpretation, you may want to look at some sections. It is intended for a wide range of users, from medical students through residents and beyond, and is not meant to be done at one sitting. There are 11 different topics, each containing an optional tutorial and self-test; a twelfth topic covers diseases in which the abnormalities studied under topics 1 through 11 occur.

Instructions

For the most part, self-explanatory. Be aware that when the screens have a scroll bar (on the right), you may need to scroll down to see all sections of the "page."