Electrocardiography

Primary care providers are often the first, and sometimes the only, point of contact for many patients within the healthcare system. The standard 12-lead electrocardiogram is one of the most common tests obtained and interpreted by primary care providers, with most reading their own recordings and basing clinical decisions on their findings. Primary care providers can achieve proficiency in the interpretation of over 95 percent of all electrocardiogram findings seen in the primary care setting. Although computerized interpretation is widely available, it is considered unreliable in up to 20 percent of the cases, making interpretation by primary care providers an essential skill. This book provides the necessary skills for primary care providers to use in interpreting electrocardiograms, both in their offices and in the emergency departments of their hospitals. This book is an outgrowth of a previous book, Electrocardiography for the Family Physician.