ECG interpretations (pictures) Help me read this

I bought a  ECG portatil device MD100b
these are my latest findings:

Male, 24 years, (no medication)

After exercise: http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd519/pablogarrick/230211HR71.jpg

at night in bed trying to sleep: http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd519/pablogarrick/1903112HR58.jpg

anxiety: http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd519/pablogarrick/170311.jpg

[itdood]

It just looks jittery due to the low end ECG machine.  If you move around on a high resolution 12 lead ecg you will see that jitter too.  I could clearly see p waves in the jitter.  It’s definitely not afib.  The p waves are evenly spaced, that's good.

The traces you posted do indeed show a 2nd degree block, a type 1, mobitz/wenckebach profile.

The QRS waves aren't wide, this is good.

My next questions is whether or not the conduction delay is local to the AV node or is something else going on.  You'd need a good ECG study done to determine that.  This can indicate if you might progress to type 2.  But from what I see my SWAG (scientific wild-*** guess) is that the delay is in the AV node due to the tight QRS complex.  If that's the case your future is the same as anyone else, there is not increased chance of morbidity over the general population.

Try googling more on it, knowledge is power.    Don’t get anxious or depressed over it.  Much worse things can happen in the grand scheme.   Figure it out, treat it, move on.

[itdood]

I am by no means an expert at reading EKGs.   What I think I see in all of them is AV block.  The resolution on the tracing isn't that great, but I'm fairly certain that in almost all the QRS pauses I see a preceding P wave, just no QRS waves following the P wave.  This would indicate that the SA node fired the atria properly but for some reason this did not go through the AV node to fire the ventricles, hence the missing QRS wave a.k.a. pause.   I'm basing this on the obvious missing QRS waves, or pause in the ventricular beat following what appears to be a P wave.

Or, this could be due to the junky EKG machine you're using.  It's only a 3 lead home unit, I'm not sure if can be used for diagnostic purposes.  A 12 lead EKG would have much better resolution.

have you been to a doc to see what's up?

[grendslori]

It is never a good idea for a lay person to be buying an EKG monitor. The leads must be placed in the absolute perfect position, you have to be able to evalute artifact and how to correct it if it occurs. It takes years to really know what you are looking at on the EKG and how it relates to the heart itself. Often times what the EKG shows is not the problem that is actually there in the first place. Get rid of the machine and try and find a way to deal with the anxiety that is obviously there in your life.

[yarrow]

Pablo, unless you've taken some serious university classes on anatomy and physiology, owning and using an EKG monitor will bring you no understanding at all.  No joke.

Have you had such classes?

[pablogarrick]

I know it's a little desperate but my doctor says: "everything is fine dont worry about nothing" and i keep feeling all these symptoms, I cant do exercise without feeling the arrhythmic heart beats..

the device works with one measurement channel but I think it is an true approximation of reality.

[pablogarrick]

i showed this to my Doctor,  He said that im having skipped beats called PAC with some runs of atrial tachycardia.  He also said that this did not look like AFib, because i tought that at the beginning.

He told me that i have a wenckebach Block but not infrahisian or something like that.. soo nothing to worry about it...  

he told me to take Propafenone 150mg three times daily. I think it seems too much for me but I will start soon the treatment to see if it improves my condition

[itdood]

It just looks jittery due to the low end ECG machine.  If you move around on a high resolution 12 lead ecg you will see that jitter too.  I could clearly see p waves in the jitter.  It’s definitely not afib.  The p waves are evenly spaced, that's good.

The traces you posted do indeed show a 2nd degree block, a type 1, mobitz/wenckebach profile.

The QRS waves aren't wide, this is good.

My next questions is whether or not the conduction delay is local to the AV node or is something else going on.  You'd need a good ECG study done to determine that.  This can indicate if you might progress to type 2.  But from what I see my SWAG (scientific wild-*** guess) is that the delay is in the AV node due to the tight QRS complex.  If that's the case your future is the same as anyone else, there is not increased chance of morbidity over the general population.

Try googling more on it, knowledge is power.    Don’t get anxious or depressed over it.  Much worse things can happen in the grand scheme.   Figure it out, treat it, move on.

[pablogarrick]

Thank you for taking the time to write...
The doctor also told me that is not dangerous but it bothers me a lot.

I think I need psychiatric help because the episodes are worse when I'm nervous, I'm always thinking about it. is not a good way to live

[is_something_wrong]

The first EKG shows PACs and atrial tachycardia. You can see the PACs and the pauses afterwards are making the heart rate irregular, along with runs of atrial tachycardia.

The second EKG shows 2nd degree AV block or 2:1 block, not easy to read from the tracing (and the fact that I'm not a healthcare professional). I think the last one may show a 2nd degree sinus node exit block, but it may be an AV block as well.

It's good that you take responsibility for your own health and that you buy an EKG machine, but I would try to sell it now if I were you. If your doctor (cardiologist?) told you this is benign, I would try to trust that.