The electrocardiogram in Primary Care Pediatrics (I). General aspects, indications and systematic interpretation

Electrocardiography is the method of choice for non-invasive diagnosis of arrhythmia being a procedure easy to perform, fast, not expensive and a procedure often available for the primary care paediatrician. Interpretation requires considering the normal changes with age brought about by the physiological variations that occur in the circulatory system. In order to interpret paediatric electrocardiograms, the age of the patient and a table of normal values are essential. This article outlines general concepts of paediatric ECGs, shows a systematic approach for interpretation and includes tables of normal values. Primary care paediatricians do not need a vast knowledge on electrophysiology but to distinguish between a normal and a pathological ECG.