EKGtremorA patient with Parkinson’s disease presents with chest pain to your ED. Her tremors prevent you from getting a good quality EKG because of the movement artifact.

How can you eliminate this artifact? (No cheating with rocuronium.)

Trick of the Trade
Have the patient sit on his/her hands.

SitHandsEKGtricksm

Although I haven’t tried this myself, this trick apparently works for people with upper extremity tremors and movement disorders. Has anyone used this trick? It’s been referenced in: Burdick E350 Operating Manual. Milton, Wis: Siemens Burdick, Inc; 1990.

Thanks to Brooke, RN for this tip, and Alex for being a hand-sitting model!

Michelle Lin, MD

Michelle Lin, MD

ALiEM Founder and CEO
Professor and Digital Innovation Lab Director
Department of Emergency Medicine
University of California, San Francisco
Michelle Lin, MD

@M_Lin

Professor of Emerg Med at UCSF-Zuckerberg SF General. ALiEM Founder @aliemteam #PostitPearls at https://t.co/50EapJORCa Bio: https://t.co/7v7cgJqNEn
Michelle Lin, MD