Interactive Paediatric ECG Course (face to face)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This half-day face-to-face course will take you through all practical aspects of paediatric ECG interpretation. It will provide you with useful tips to quickly and easily navigate the ECG basics and explain to you the differences between paediatric and adult traces. 

The course will also give you the confidence and skills to identify different types of tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias, from minor pathologies to true emergencies. Signs of atrial enlargement and ventricular hypertrophy will also be discussed. 

The final part of the course will focus on repolarization changes with special emphasis on the differential diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and other potentially serious patterns not to be missed in daily practice. In order to best meet the learning objectives, the course will have a limited number of participants.

COURSE AIM:

The Interactive Paediatric ECG Course is specifically designed for those who want to become confident in the interpretation of paediatric ECGs. Learning will be enhanced by in-depth review of a very large number of traces covering the full spectrum of ECG abnormalities. The course will be highly interactive and will provide a safe learning environment to encourage you to ask questions.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

- Understand the characteristics of a normal ECG

- Understand the differences between adult and paediatric ECGs

- Develop an approach to tachycardias (irregular/regular, narrow/wide complex)

- Discuss the indications and contraindications of Adenosine

- Know how to approach atrial/ventricular ectopy

- Understand blocks (sinoatrial, atrioventricular, fascicular, bundle branch blocks)

- Recognise signs of atrial enlargement and ventricular hypertrophy

- Explore the differential diagnosis of ST-segment changes

- Recognise various types of T-wave abnormalities

- Practise and assess your knowledge and skills by reviewing a large number of ECG traces

AUDIENCE:

Paediatric, A&E, neonatal - consultants, trainees and ANPs

Paediatric cardiology trainees and ANPs

(basic ECG knowledge required)

SPEAKERS:

Dr Filip Kucera, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust

Date: Wed 15th May

Time: 9:00 - 13:30

Number of breaks: 2

PROGRAMME:

ECG basics

- Characteristics of the normal ECG, paediatric vs adult ECG

- Heart rate – quick calculation methods (regular vs irregular rhythms)

- QRS axis - what is still a normal axis and how to easily determine it 

- Interactive practice exercises, questions, and clinical scenarios

Tachycardias

- Mechanisms of tachycardias

- Irregular vs regular narrow complex tachycardias

- Wide complex tachycardias – when what looks like a VT is not always a VT

- Adenosine – when to give it, what are the contraindications

- Interactive practice exercises, questions, and clinical scenarios

Ectopy

- Atrial ectopy – how much is too much

- Ventricular ectopy – when to worry

- Interactive practice exercises, questions, and clinical scenarios

Conduction blocks

- Conductive tissue of the heart, escape rhythms

- Sinoatrial blocks - how to differentiate from respiratory arrhythmia

- Atrioventricular blocks - as you may not know them

- Fascicular and bundle branch blocks

- Interactive practice exercises, questions, and clinical scenarios

Atrial enlargement, ventricular hypertrophy

- Right, left, bi-atrial enlargement

- Right, left, bi-ventricular hypertrophy

- Interactive practice exercises, questions, and clinical scenarios

ST-segment changes

- Myocardial ischaemia – never miss an ischaemic trace

- Pericarditis – different stages explained

- Early repolarization pattern

- Brugada syndrome – patterns to always remember

- Other conditions associated with ST changes

- Interactive practice exercises, questions, and clinical scenarios

T-wave changes, long QT syndrome

- T wave abnormalities

- Long QT syndrome – not just about QTc prolongation

- Interactive practice exercises, questions, and clinical scenarios