Developer site: The content shown here is test data.

MyEClinic
MyEClinic
Health Dictionary AI Health Chat Find an Online Doctor
A serene Zen garden with raked sand and smooth stones, symbolising clarity and calm

Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

Back to skin conditions

Pericardial effusion electrocardiogram

Introduction

Overview

Overview

The EKG in patients with pericardial effusion may demonstrate low voltages (micro-voltages or short QRS complexes) and electrical alternans.

Electrocardiogram

Electrocardiogram

Electrical alternans is an electrocardiographic phenomenon of alternation of QRS complex amplitude or axis between beats. It is seen in cardiac tamponade and pericardial effusion and is thought to be related to changes in the ventricular electrical axis due to fluid in the pericardium.

Electrocardiographic Examples

An ECG showing electrical alternans in a person with pericardial effusion. Note the beat to beat change in the height and axis of the QRS complexes.
An ECG showing electrical alternans in a person with pericardial effusion. Note the beat to beat change in the height and axis of the QRS complexes.
An example of electrical alternans. Note the beat to beat change in the height and axis of the QRS complexes.
References

References

Template:WikiDoc Sources

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]