Premature Atrial Contraction || PACs in EMS

The most well-known and easily recognizable ectopic beat tends to be the premature ventricular contraction 🫀(that post will be for another day 🙂) because it is big, wide and obvious. PACs can be a little more tricky as they try hard to blend in with their surroundings.

Let’s talk PACs!

Premature atrial contractions, also known as premature atrial complexes, are impulses or heartbeats that fire too early from the top chambers of the heart (atria). PACs tend to interrupt the underlying rhythm. Unlike the PVCs, PACs have p waves. They do, however, typically have a different morphology than the p waves of the normal impulses.

PACs can occur for a variety reasons including hypoxia, caffeine or stimulants, electrolyte imbalances, medications, anxiety, cardiac problems (acute or chronic), hypertension, etc.

A PAC alone is usually of no immediate concern to EMS providers unless in conjunction w/ a life-threatening condition or injury. As always, treat your patient’s complaint.

Take a look at the thumbnail for an example on a strip, peep those p waves!

🚨 Disclaimer: This is not meant to be used as or in the place of professional medical advice. Remember to abide by your local protocol & stay within your scope of practice.  🚨

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