Agonal heart rhythm
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In medicine, an agonal heart rhythm is a variant of asystole. Agonal heart rhythm is usually ventricular in origin. Occasional P waves and QRS complexes can be seen on the electrocardiogram. The complexes tend to be wide and bizarre in morphological appearance.[1] Clinically, an agonal rhythm is regarded as asystole and should be treated equivalently, with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and administration of intravenous adrenaline.[2] As in asystole, the prognosis for a patient presenting with this rhythm is very poor. Sometimes this appears after asystole or after a failed resuscitation attempt.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ Garcia T, Miller B. Arrhythmia Recognition: The Art of Interpretation. Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury MA: 2004.
- ^ UK Resuscitation Council. Adult advanced life support algorithm. 2010.