ecg leads: the dirty dozen
DESCRIPTION
Mr. EasyG, a cartoon character, shows you the easy way to remember the direction and polarity of the 6 limb leads - the dirty half-dozen- important to localize the part of heart affected by the disease process(e.g. inferior infarct) and to determine the electrical axis of the heart.TRANSCRIPT
ECG leads: The Dirty ECG leads: The Dirty DozenDozen
Conventionally,
12 leads or sets of electrodes
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20132013
ECG leads: The ECG leads: The DirtyDirty Dozen Dozen
DirectionPolarity
Why do I need to know these details ??
Because the Because the DirtyDirty Dozen Dozen
DirectionPolarity
1. determine deflections of the ECG2. detect direction of depolarization
wave Deviation of cardiac axis3. detect (or localize) the diseased or
disordered part of the heart
Hi, I’m EasyG. I’ll show you to work out the
ofof
Dirty Dirty
half-Dozenhalf-Dozen
Direction &Polarity
the 6 limb leads in the frontal plane
the 6 limb leads in the frontal plane
Lead I
aVL
Lead III Lead II
aVR
aVF
monitoring the heart from different electrical perspectives
It’s not fair to label us the dirty half-dozen
The other half-dozen are on the chest – the 6 chest leads
Where shall we start forming a triangle? The top, of course,
since we always read from top downwards
Which arm shall we move first ? Ah!! The right arm!! as most of us are right-handed
So, make a fist. And make your 1st move.Swing up your arm.
The 1st move, the top border of a triangle
so its Lead IThe fist always is the
(+)ve electrode
The shoulder the (-)ve electrode
The 2nd move, swing your arm down to form the 2nd border
… its Lead II
Now it’s the left arm’s job to make a 3rd move and close the triangle
… its Lead III
Raise the right fist like this
… its aVR
Raise the left fist like this, it’s…
Stomp the ground with your left foot,it’s…
Once more!!!
Action!
I
II
III
aVR
aVL
aVF
Lead I
aVL
Lead III Lead II
aVR
aVF
Got it?Thanks !!!