Syllabus For The Basic Level

INTRODUCTION

• What is the ECG Academy?

ENGINEERING CONCEPTS

• Basic electrical concepts – what is electricity
• Electrical circuits
• How we record electrical events

INTRO TO THE HEART

• Cardiac tissues and electricity
• Cardiac Action Potentials
• 3-D Anatomy of the heart
• Cardiac conduction system
• Electrical events of the heart

ECG RECORDING BASICS

• ECG recording systems
• ECG electrode: correct placement
• ECG electrodes: incorrect placement
• Intrinsic problems with ECG systems: Artifacts

ECG LEAD BASICS

• The basics of ECG “leads”
• Frontal or Limb leads
• Chest or Precordial leads

THE NORMAL ECG

• The ECG signal: First impressions
• Analyzing size and timing/duration of signals
• Determining heart rate
• ECG Interval measurements 1
• ECG Interval measurements 2: Practice

NORMAL SINUS RHYTHM

• Recognizing NSR
• Sinus bradycardia / sinus tachycardia
• Sinus arrhythmia

SINUS NODE DYSFUNCTION

• Sinus bradycardia
• Sinus pause / sinus arrest
• SA Exit Block

AV NODE DYSFUNCTION

• Basic concepts of AV block
• First degree AV block
• Second degree AV block
• Third degree AV block

INTRAVENTRICULAR CONDUCTION DISTURBANCES

• Concepts of intraventricular conduction
• Types of IVCDs
• Functional / Rate-related IVCDs: “Aberrant conduction”

PREMATURE BEATS

• Concepts of premature beats
• Atrial premature beats
• Ventricular premature beats
• Blocked and Aberrantly-Conducted PACs  *NEW for 2023
• Other premature beats

ATRIAL TACHYCARDIA

• Definitions of atrial tachycardia
• Sustained supraventricular tachycardia
• Atrial tachycardia with AV Block
• Atrial tachycardia with aberrant conduction
• Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia / Wandering Atrial Pacemaker

ATRIAL FLUTTER

• Diagnosing atrial flutter
• Atrial flutter with 2:1 conduction
• Unusual forms of atrial flutter

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

• Introduction to atrial fibrillation
• Examples of atrial fibrillation
• Atrial fibrillation with aberrant conduction

VENTRICULAR TACHYARRHYTHMIAS

• Ventricular tachyarrhythmias - definitions
• Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
• Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia
• Polymorphic VT / ventricular fibrillation
• Approach to Wide Complex Tachycardia

PACEMAKERS

• Introduction to Permanent Pacemakers
• Basic Pacemaker Troubleshooting
• Dual-Chamber Pacemakers
• Advanced Pacemaker Troubleshooting

Syllabus For The Advanced Level

VECTORS AND ECG AXIS

• Physiology of the QRS axis
• Determining the axis
• Causes of axis deviation
• Other axis considerations / anatomical regions

ATRIAL ABNORMALITIES

• P-wave axis
• Left atrial abnormality
• Right atrial abnormality / Biatrial abnormality

HYPERTROPHY

• Left ventricular hypertrophy
• Right ventricular hypertrophy

BUNDLE BRANCH BLOCKS

• Right bundle branch block
• Left bundle branch block
• Other IVCDs

HEMIBLOCKS

• Introduction to hemiblocks
• Left anterior hemiblock
• Left posterior hemiblock / septal hemiblock
• Bifascicular block

ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE

• Coronary anatomy and physiology
• Coronary events and the ECG
• Ischemia and myocardial infarction
• More examples of ischemia and infarction

OTHER ST ABNORMALITIES

• "Secondary" ST abnormalities
• "Primary" and non-specific ST abnormalities
• Pericarditis and early repolarization

MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS IN ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY

• Low voltage / Lead reversal
• Electrolyte / metabolic disturbances
• Diagnosing Acute MI in the Setting of LBBB Part 1   *NEW for 2023
• Diagnosing MI and LVH in the Setting of LBBB  *NEW for 2023
• Pediatric Considerations for Analyzing ECGs  *NEW for 2023
• Brugada Syndrome  *NEW for 2024
• Putting It All Together: Approach to 12-Lead ECGs

Syllabus for the Expert Level

Note: Most topics are currently available. Additional topics will be released in the future. 

BASICS OF ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIC TESTING

• Introduction to Electrophysiologic Testing
• EP Electrograms
• His Bundle Recordings
• Atrial/Ventricular Pacing and PES
• Refractory Periods

ADVANCED SINUS NODE CONCEPTS

• Sinus Node Physiology
• Sinus Node Dysfunction
• Tachy-Brady Syndrome
• SA Exit Block
• EP Testing: Sinus CL and SNRT
• EP Testing: SACT and Intrinsic Heart Rate

ADVANCED AV NODE CONCEPTS

• AV Node Physiology
• First Degree AV Block
• Second Degree AV Block
• Third Degree AV Block
• EP Testing: His Bundle Electrograms
• EP Testing: "Level of the Block"
• Evaluating "Trifascicular Block"
• Advanced Concepts in AV Node Anatomy

ATRIAL ARRHYTHMIAS

• Distinguishing different types of atrial flutter
• "Common" vs. "Uncommon" Atrial Flutter
• "Atypical" Atrial Flutter
• Atrial Fibrillation Revisited
• Automatic versus reentry atrial tachycardia
• “Triggered” atrial arrhythmias

PAROXYSMAL SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA

• Introduction to PSVT
• AV Nodal Reentry
• New Concepts in AVNRT
• P-wave Timing and AVNRT
• EP Testing and Ablation

PRE-EXCITATION (WPW Syndrome)

• Physiologic basis for pre-excitation
• Location of accessory pathways
• Relating 12-lead ECGs to pre-excitation
• Orthodromic AV Reentry Tachycardia
• Antidromic AV Reentry Tachycardia
• Atrial Fibrillation and WPW

CONGENITAL ARRHYTHMIA SYNDROMES

• Electrophysiologic events of the cardiac cycle
• Genetic basis for Long QT Syndrome
• Types of Congenital Long QT Syndrome
• Torsades de pointes
• Drug-induced long QT syndrome
• Brugada Syndrome
• Exercise-induced PMVT  

PERMANENT PACEMAKERS REVISITED

• Types of pacemakers
• Single Chamber Timing Cycles
• Dual Chamber Timing Cycles
• Pacemaker Troubleshooting
• Examples of Normal and Abnormal Pacer Function

And More to come!