Cardiac electrophysiology and ECG basics

The topic of cardiac electrophysiology and ECG basics will be explored through the heart's electrical conduction system and how it coordinates muscular contraction through action potentials and the movement of key ions. We will discuss the components of the conduction pathway, such as the SA and AV nodes, bundle branches, and perkine fibers, and their roles in effective heartbeat synchronization. The basics of electrocardiogram, ECG interpretation, will be reviewed, including recognition of waveforms, intervals, and patterns that signal arrhythmias and cardiac disorders. Finally, we will explore how ECG findings inform diagnosis and management of common heart conditions. The human heart is more than a muscular pump. Its coordinated contractions depend on electrical signals originating in specialized tissues. Each heartbeat begins with an action potential, a rapid change in electrical charge, propagated through cardiomyocytes by the movement of sodium, potassium and calcium ions. This orchestrates synchronized atrial and ventricular contraction, pumping blood effectively. Disruptions in this process can cause arrhythmias with serious consequences. The hearts conduction system consists of specialized structures that generate and deliver electrical impulses. The sinoatrial node or SA node serves as the natural pacemaker in the right atrium. It initiates the action potential, which spreads to the atrioventricular node or AV node.