The Patient:    These tracings are taken from a 75-year-old man who became weak while playing golf on a very hot day.  He was pale and diaphoretic.  He was hypotensive, but we do not know his BP reading. He denies chest pain or discomfort. The patient reported a history of lung cancer and hypertension. We have no other history, and unfortunately, no follow-up information.

ECG Number 1:           The first ECG shows the standard 12 leads.  The rhythm is sinus with frequent appearances of PAC couplets.  The sinus rate varies slightly from about 76 bpm to 68 bpm, tending to slow a bit after the premature atrial contractions.  There is a right bundle branch block, and the QRS duration is about .12 seconds (120 ms). The PR interval is slightly log at 223 ms.  We do not know what medications the patient is on, and we do not have an older ECG for comparison.

There are some interesting, if subtle, changes worth mentioning.  The QRS complexes in most leads are fragmented.  That is, they have notching in the terminal S or R waves that is not due to the bundle branch block. This can be a sign of scarring, and can also be considered an equivalent to a pathological Q wave.  Speaking of pathological Q waves, they are seen in the inferior leads, II, III, and aVF.  There are also prominent, though not large Q waves in V4 through V6, leads which normally do not have them. All this points to scarring and possibly long-term coronary artery disease, with possible old M.I.  In addition, the ST segments are not entirely normal.  There is ST depression in the inferior and low lateral leads, a little ST elevation in aVL.  Also, the SHAPES of the ST segments tend to be straight throughout the ECG, instead of the usual curved (concave up) appearance.

This ECG was obtained from an 87-year-old man with chest discomfort.  We have no other clinical information.

ECG Interpretation   The rhythm is regular and fast, with P waves, at 95 beats per minute. So, it is normal sinus rhythm, but the rate is probably not “normal” for this patient.  The P waves are small, and difficult to see.  We suggest Lead I to best view the P waves in this example. This is a good opportunity to teach the value of evaluating rhythm strips in more than one simultaneous lead, as subtle features may not show up well in all leads.  There is a first-degree AV block, with a PR interval of 232 ms.

We see the right bundle branch block (RBBB) pattern: rSR’ in the right precordial leads (with a tiny q wave in V1, which is not typical of  RBBB).  The QRS is wide at 148 ms (.148 seconds).  The R prime (R’) represents the right ventricle depolarizing slightly after the left ventricle.  This terminal delay widens the QRS without affecting the depolarization or contraction of the left ventricle.  This delay can be seen in every lead, but is especially easy to see in Leads I and V₆, where there is a wide little s wave.  It is normal for the T waves to be in a direction opposite that of the terminal wave (inverted in Leads V₁ and III, for example.)

There is left axis deviation.  The causes of LAD are many.  It is not unusual for people with RBBB to also have a left anterior hemiblock (LAH), also called left anterior fascicular block.  The left anterior fascicle has the same blood supply as the right bundle branch.   LAH causes a frontal plane axis shift – instead of Lead II having the tallest QRS of the limb leads, Leads I and aVL will be the tallest upright QRS complexes of the six limb leads.  Lead II will be very small, or flat, or negative. However, the probability of pathological Q waves in the inferior leads offers a more likely explanation for the leftward axis shift.  The M.I. that would have caused these Q waves is old, as there are no acute ST changes.  It would, of course, help to know this patient’s history.

Right bundle branch block can make evaluating for ST segment elevation a bit tricky.  Occasionally, the terminal delay – especially in Leads III and aVF – can be mistaken for ST elevation.  The J points in this ECG all appear to be at the baseline, with no overt STEMI.

Today’s ECG is from a 74-year-old man for whom we have no clinical information.  It shows a “classic” right bundle branch block.  It also shows an example of the ECG machine getting some of the interpretation wrong.  An early mistake in the interpretative algorithm caused a cascade of inaccuracies.

REVIEW of RIGHT BUNDLE BRANCH BLOCK ECG CRITERIA

     *   Supraventricular rhythm

     *   QRS .12 seconds (120 ms) in width

     *   rSR’ pattern in V₁

     *   Small, wide S wave in Leads I and V₆

In right bundle branch block, the initial part of each QRS complex represents the depolarization of the septum and left ventricle.  The right ventricle depolarizes late, and is represented by a terminal wave at the end of each QRS.  In V₁, that terminal wave is the R’ and in I and V₆ it is the small S wave. 

MACHINE MISTAKES  The first mistake the machine made was in measuring the QRS width. The machine says the QRS is .096 seconds (96 ms).  It is actually about .16 - .18 seconds.  Look at the second QRS in V₁, and you will see that it extends almost the full width of a wide block (.20 sec).  It is apparent that the machine measured only the left ventricular portion of the QRS complex. Because of this error, the right bundle branch block was not noted. 

The mistake in measuring the QRS complex resulted in the machine misinterpreting the terminal wave as the ST segment.  This resulted in notations in capital letters warning of ST elevation and presence of myocardial ischemia.  The j points are actually at the baseline in all leads, indicating NO ST elevation. 

ST and T WAVE CHARACTERISTICS OF RBBB  Typically, in RBBB, the T wave will be opposite in direction from the terminal (RV) deflection.  So, when there is an R’, there will be T wave inversion.  The j point of the ST segment will not be altered, as the ST segment reflects what is happening in the LEFT VENTRICLE, which is depolarizing normally.  That means that an acute ST elevation M.I. will look the same in RBBB as it does without BBB. 

This ECG is taken from an 82-year-old man who called 911 because of chest pain.  He has an unspecified “cardiac” history, but we do not know the specifics. 

WHAT IS THE RHYTHM?  The heart rate is 69 bpm, and there are P waves before every QRS complex. The underlying rhythm is regular, with one premature beat that is wide without a P wave.  The PR interval is slightly prolonged at .25 seconds.  The rhythm is normal sinus rhythm with first-degree AV block and one PVC. 

WHY THE WIDE QRS?   The QRS complex is wide at .14 seconds. The QRS in V 1 has a wide R wave after a small Q wave.  This in consistent with right bundle branch block pattern, with loss of the normal initial small r wave (pathological Q waves).  The diagnosis of RBBB is further corroborated by the wide little S waves in Leads I and V6.  The QRS frontal plane axis is -66 degrees per the machine, and clearly “abnormal left” because the QRS in Lead II is negative, while the QRS in Leads I and aVL are positive.  This is left anterior fascicular block, also called left anterior hemiblock.  The combination of RBBB and LAFB is a common one, as the two branches have the same blood supply.  It is also called bi-fascicular block. 

WHAT ABOUT THE ST SEGMENTS?  The ST segments in leads V2 through V6 are elevated, and their shape is very straight, as opposed to the normal shape of coved upward (smile). Even though the amount of ST elevation at the J points appears subtle, the shape of the segments, the fact that they appear in related leads, and the fact that the patient is an elderly male with chest pain all point to the diagnosis of ANTERIOR WALL ST elevation M.I. (STEMI).  Additional ST changes include a straight shape in Leads I and aVL and ST depression in V1 and aVR.  

PATIENT OUTCOME  The patient was transported to a cardiac center, where he received angioplasty in the cath lab.  The left coronary artery was found to be occluded, and was repaired and stented.  He recovered without complications and was sent home in a few days.