Change in EKG?

Question

I was at the ER yesterday and was told that my EKG changed. Something about the QRS widening. What does that mean and how dangerous is it? I have followed through with my Dr. via phone and he gave me the name of a cardiologist to see.

Answer 1

QRS complex


The parts of a QRS complexElectrocardiography (EKG, ECG) tracings show a characteristic pattern of electrical impulses that are generated by the heart. The QRS complex is a record of the measurement of the movement of electrical impulses through the lower heart chambers (ventricles), primarily in the Purkinje fibers

Answer 2

If you were healthy and had no symptoms, it would most likely just caused by technical artefacts. But you must have had some symptoms, if you ended up in the ER getting an EKG??
Wide QRS can be caused by a high blood potassium level, certain medications, and many other things. Checking with a good cardiologist sounds like a great idea.

Answer 3

Basically the depolarization/repolarization of the left ventricle will be slightly slower because the impulse has to use an alternate path around the ventricle. The reason for the blockage is usually unknown. This slight delay in the depolarization results in the widening of the QRS. Fortunately it's not normally something to worry about. I know someone who's lived with it for years and hasn't had any complications, just a slightly different looking ECG.

Answer 4

A widening of the QRS can mean long term problems or maybe just a temporary problem.
The easiest way to explain it is to think of the heart like a group of four tire pumps(two sets of two): two of the pumps work the top part of the heart, the other two work the bottom of the heart (stay with me now, lol). When the bottom of the heart is sluggish to respond to the stimulus for pumping (the electrical impulse), you can experience a widening of the electrical rhythm that is attempting to cause an effective pumping action. Sometimes this indicates that damage has occured to the normal pattern of conduction to the heart (e.g. like a shorted cord on your stereo), and this can lead to less efficient pumping, because the heart/pump is a little out of sync with the other parts of the heart. This can be a temporary problem or an indication of possible longer-term problems.
The electrical part of your heart is a set of fibers and tissues that are essentially the same tissue as other parts of the heart, yet are specifically supposed to control the hearts electrical component of its pumping activity. When damage occurs on any part of the heart, it may damage parts of these "electrical wire" type of tissue as well. When this happens, the electrical impulse to pump has to reroute its electical activity through the surrounding tissue, but usually is able to end up reaching the same effect of reaching all parts of the heart to allow contraction of pumping of the heart. The lag of the rerouting process "widens" the electrical activity that is traced by ekg machines, and you end up with a widened QRS.
There can be temporary causes for this: (medication/drugs/abnormal electrolytes(like potassium, etc) can alter heart electrical activity times; and there can be more longterm problems that cause this (e.g. the most common of which is heart attack--or actual death/injury to the cells of the heart).
PLEASE SEE YOUR CARDIOLOGIST THAT YOUR REFERED TO, AS MORE TESTS WILL BE NEEDED TO FIND WHAT IS CAUSING THIS CONDUCTION LAG

Answer 5

EKG's can be difficult to interpret - you didnt say if you are having cardiac problems - chest pain, shortness of breath, edema, ect? Those symptoms along with an abnormal EKG can mean there is a real cardiac problem.....if the EKG was seriously abnormal you would have been admitted to the hospital. Sometimes they read abnormal and it is hard to really know why. The heart is a complicated organ.

But if you are not feeling well or have other health problems it could mean something and it would be wise to see the cardiologist.

Answer 6

Widening QRS could be a delay in conducting nerve transmission through the heart. This could delay or disrupt the rhytm of the heart. A "Bundle branch block" could lead to cardiac symptoms, possible infarct (heart attack) or eventual congestive heart failure. it can be medically treated (taking meds). You will probably follow the following series of test:
12 lead EKG
echocardiogram (sonogram of heart)
blood work with cardiac markers (abnormal values can indicate presence of heart damage)
stress test (either treadmill or chemical - give you meds to simulate aerobic activity if you can't physically do treadmill)
cardiac catheterization- inject dye into heart vessels to check for blockages

Answer 7

Do a search engine on QRS. Follow through with the instructions given by your doctor.

Answer 8

most the time its nothing and the heart can have temp. changes. the best thing you can do and its easier said then done is try to relax. see the doctor and move from there. eat well and rest up for now. watch funny things on tv and if religious pray to ease your mind. if it was super dangerous they would not have sent you home. so you are not ready to drop :)