Module 11: Electrolytes & ECG Changes — ECG Academy

Electrolyte imbalances produce characteristic ECG changes that a monitor tech must recognize. Potassium, calcium, and magnesium abnormalities can cause life-threatening arrhythmias — knowing what to look for can save a life.

Lessons

• Why Electrolytes Matter — Understand how sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium drive the cardiac action potential and why
• Potassium-Related ECG Patterns — Recognize hyperkalemia and hypokalemia ECG changes, classify severity trends, and escalate patterns
• Calcium and Magnesium Patterns — Quick overview of calcium- and magnesium-related repolarization changes before the detailed electrol
• Hypercalcemia — Recognize the ECG changes of elevated calcium, especially shortened QT from ST-segment compression,
• Hypocalcemia — Identify prolonged QT from ST-segment lengthening, distinguish it from potassium-related changes, an
• Magnesium Imbalances — Recognize low-magnesium patterns that overlap with hypokalemia, identify high-magnesium conduction s
• Telemetry Monitoring for Electrolytes — Apply the electrolyte ECG patterns from this module into a practical monitoring workflow built aroun