Atrial Fibrillation
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THE EKG SIGNAL

 

The Parts of the EKG Signal

    The first upward pulse of the EKG, the P wave, is formed when the atria (the two upper chambers of the heart) contract to pump blood into the ventricles. In A-Fib you will see many "fibrillation" beats instead of one P wave.
     The next large upward spike segment, the QRS Complex, is formed when the ventricles (the two lower chambers of the heart) are contracting to pump out blood.
    The next section, the ST segment, measures the end of the contraction of the ventricles to the beginning of the rest period before the ventricles begin to contract for the next beat.
    The next slight rising section, the T wave, measures the resting period of the ventricles.
   

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