Question

Ivy’s dad has come to school for career day. He is a cardiologist and has brought a sample EKG strip to show the students in Ivy’s class what he can tell about a person’s heart by looking at the lines. Ivy’s dad first points out the different parts of the heartbeat. Then he explains two other factors that tell him about the patient. Using medical terminology, explain what those two factors are. Then define them in a way that Ivy’s class can understand.

Answer 1

The two factors that Ivy's dad explained to her class are "heart rate" and "rhythm."

Heart rate refers to the number of times the heart beats per minute. It is measured in beats per minute (bpm). A normal heart rate for an adult is between 60 and 100 bpm. Ivy's class can understand heart rate as how fast the heart is beating.

Rhythm refers to the pattern of the heartbeats. A normal rhythm is a steady and regular pattern of beats. An irregular rhythm can indicate a heart condition. Ivy's class can understand rhythm as the pattern of the heartbeats - whether they are regular or irregular.