Your 72 year old patient has a heart rate of 82 BPM. Analysis of the ECG reveals a totally irregular rhythm with a chaotic appearing baseline preceding each narrow QRS complex. This is likely the result of:

Question

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The description of a totally irregular rhythm with a chaotic appearing baseline preceding each narrow QRS complex is characteristic of atrial fibrillation, where the atria are firing at a very high rate, often in excess of 350 beats per minute (BPM). This results in an irregularly irregular rhythm seen on the ECG.

Your 72 Year Old Patient Has a Heart Rate of 82