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a young man with palpitations
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a young man with palpitations
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This young man (aged 24) presented to A&E with palpitations. I thought his ecg was rather interesting.
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Forums » Open clinical » Cardiology » a young man with palpitations

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Forums  »  Open clinical  »  Cardiology  »  a young man with palpitations

a young man with palpitations

posted at 15/7/2011 4:15 PM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 878
First: 17/6/2011
Last: 24/5/2013
This young man (aged 24) presented to A&E with palpitations. I thought his ecg was rather interesting.

Re: a young man with palpitations

posted at 16/7/2011 2:40 PM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 492
First: 12/7/2010
Last: 7/5/2013
Can some thing please be done about the size of the images? Even with zooming I am having difficulty in properly visualizing the ECG.

I assure everyone that its not an excuse for not being able to interpret the ECG Innocent.

Re: a young man with palpitations

posted at 16/7/2011 3:09 PM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 220
First: 10/12/2010
Last: 1/6/2012
Heart rate is 150/m; regualr
No p waves.
J point needs to be interpreted by an ECG.
Start with BB. If patietn is anxious, give benzodiazepines also.
If there is a murmur, send for XR chest and echocardiography.

Re: a young man with palpitations

posted at 18/7/2011 8:45 AM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 878
First: 17/6/2011
Last: 24/5/2013
Sorry I can't do anything with the qualtiy of the ecg. Some more clinical details might be useful to you. He is visting the UK on a student visa from Pakistan - he had an echo there about 2 weeks before he came over and was told that his heart was enlarged.

Re: a young man with palpitations

posted at 22/7/2011 4:53 PM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 878
First: 17/6/2011
Last: 24/5/2013
The ecg shows electrical alternans - I think it is best seen in V3. He had a large pericardial effusion and we drained about 1l.  The working diagnosis was of TB.

Re: a young man with palpitations

posted at 22/7/2011 6:39 PM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 187
First: 11/3/2009
Last: 14/10/2012
Very interesting Sadian! I think you should publish it!

Re: a young man with palpitations

posted at 25/7/2011 8:38 AM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 878
First: 17/6/2011
Last: 24/5/2013

Thank you - i'm glad you found it interesting - he has a classical CXR of pericardial effusion also but unfortunately all the admitting team saw was the AF!
best,
sadian

Re: a young man with palpitations

posted at 27/7/2011 2:35 PM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 195
First: 14/1/2009
Last: 17/5/2013
Here's another example of electrical alternans.

http://ecglibrary.com/elec_alt.html

Agree it's hard to see the ECGs on doc2doc

Re: a young man with palpitations

posted at 16/8/2011 8:50 AM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 33
First: 11/2/2011
Last: 2/5/2013
I agree this should be a good case for publishing.  Both the EMJ and BMJ have short case reports now.  I suspect the angle you should adopt is the 'differential diagnosis' of electrical alternans (which is essentially caused by excessive movement of the heart), therefore Pericardial effusion should certainly be considered.

Re: a young man with palpitations

posted at 16/8/2011 8:52 AM BST on bmj.com
Posts: 33
First: 11/2/2011
Last: 2/5/2013
I agree this should be a good case for publishing.  Both the EMJ and BMJ have short case reports now.  I suspect the angle you should adopt is the 'differential diagnosis' of electrical alternans (which is essentially caused by excessive movement of the heart), therefore Pericardial effusion should certainly be considered.
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