Right Atrium — ECG/EKG Terminology

Definition: The right upper chamber of the heart. Receives deoxygenated blood from the body through the vena cava and pumps it into the right ventricle.

Key Facts

• Receives venous blood from the superior and inferior vena cava and coronary sinus.
• Contains the SA node in most patients, making it central to sinus rhythm initiation.
• Contracts just before the right ventricle to support ventricular filling.

ECG Connection: Right atrial depolarization contributes to the early portion of the P wave.

Why It Matters: Abnormal P-wave morphology can signal right atrial enlargement or ectopic atrial activity.