We recently came across the ECG Guide app and downloaded it for the iPad. Bottom line: this is a must-have app for EMS professionals. It is extremely comprehensive — designed to help even practicing physicians — and has an abundance of rich features.

The ECG Guide was developed by QxMD and teaches ECG interpretation from a cardiology perspective. The app boasts the largest ECG library available on the iPhone with over 200 high-resolution images of ECG’s, a quiz section with 100+ multiple-choice questions, and also includes pediatric tables for quick reference. The amount of information and level of detail is astonishing, but can be quite overwhelming at first — especially for someone new to ECG interpretation. The good thing is it has even the most basic information, so novice users can quickly improve their knowledge and begin to utilize the more advanced features.

Features

• Quick reference section that covers ECG basics all the way to electrolyte abnormalities and differentiating between VT and SVT
• ECG basics and fundamental concepts
• ECG interpretation guide that includes axis and rotation assessments
• Waves and segments overview
• Types of chamber enlargement
• Types of ischemia and infarction
• Conduction and bundle blocks
• Types of arrhythmias
• A miscellaneous section that includes an overview of items such as hypothermia, myopericarditis, Brugada Syndrome, dextrocardia, valvular disease, pericardial effusion and pulmonary disease
• Pediatric tables
• An ECG sample section with over 70 categories that show high-resolution ECG’s for different rhythms, diseases and cardiac events
• A quiz section with 100+ multiple-choice questions and a rhythm identification practice tool
• ECG interpretation tool where you input findings and it tells you the rhythm

The ECG Guide app is available for Android, iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry devices. This is a paid app; however, it’s well worth the price and extremely useful for anyone in the medical field.