Anyone know what absent P waves means on an ECG?

[IHeartKingThistle]

I had a spell in A and E recently for something unrelated to my heart but ended up being referred for a 24 hour heart monitor thing as my ECGs at A and E weren't normal. I'm fine now, waiting for the results of the 24 hour thing. But the print outs the hospital gave me from A and E say absent P waves on them. Anyone know what that means?

Oh and one of the pages says junctional rhythm. I've tried googling but I don't understand it!

Should probably stop googling.

Regular or irregular heart rate?

So that is a complex one. You really need it read by a good cardiologist. It might be atrial fibrillation or flutter. It also could be something more complex hiding but presenting as no p waves. Definitely follow up and make sure you get to talk to a cardiology consultant about it. In the mean time, make sure you are taking a good multi vitamin and mineral daily and top up so you are taking 100% of the daily allowance of magnesium (essential for good heart rythmn) as most people are defficient in it.

The print out is all scribbled over in doctor handwriting - it says narrow complex regular, rapid V rate, absent P waves, junctional tachycardia. I know tachycardia is fast, it was fast when I was in A and E but I don't think it is now, was just wondering about the other stuff. Never heard these words before!

Thanks SeatoSki, they wouldn't give me results over the phone so waiting for the letter. Will see what it says and get on it with the vitamins!

If it is regular it is not atrial fibrillation, could be atrial flutter, if it looks like sawtooth before the qrs complex (obvious heart beat part of the ECG), or a run of svt ( supraventricular tachycardia).

But without seeing the actual ECG I am clearly just guessing.

Can you add a picture of the ECG, without identifying information?

OK, I'll try...

For the record, I'm not 50! I'm 39.

Did the pic work?

It’s not possible to properly interpret a sing ecg without the context of your admission/details of the rest of your physiology at the time. The best people to interpret it therefore are the people who saw you/will be interpreting your 24hr tape. It’s not uncommon to have transient episodes of junctional rhythm. I wouldn’t be too excited unless you’re having symptoms/the 24 hr tape shows something interesting.

That's reassuring @Walkingthroughawall thanks. I'll be excited if it shows nothing!

I have been getting breathless but don't know if that's related.

Agree with walking.

Thanks fourth, I'm not panicking, I only put the pic up because I was asked!

It's been a while since I rhythm recognition, however...

The P Wave would be a little bump just before the big spike, kind of like the bump after them (the T-Wave). It shows the electrical activity used to make the Atria contract (top chambers of the heart). The big spike (QRS Complex) is the electrical activity used to make the ventricles contract (bottom, bigger chambers) and the T Wave is it all resetting.

Normally, if someone says a regular, narrow complex tachycardia with no visible P Waves, the first concern is immediately SVT (SupraVentricular Tachycardia), but rest assured this is definitely not an SVT. It is half the rate you would need to consider SVT. Obviously though, it does need a closer look. Hence the 24 hour trace. I would wait on those results and go from there 🙂

Thanks please