Judder Bar Flutter

On rounds the other day I was presented a case of a elderly gentlemen with chest pain who had a episode of "VFIB/VTACH" while being transported by the Ambulance Service to the Hospital. The notes from the Paramedic state that the patients vital signs were stable with a BP of 136/74. The notes also state that he looked remarkably well during this rhythm disturbance. At the bedside the patient told us that they had taken a especially rough and bumpy road to the hospital. Looking at the rhythm strip I notice normal sinus rhythm followed by wide undulating complexes that return to sinus rhythm. The QRS complexes march out so I concluded that this was artifact caused by the ambulance going over a rough patch of road or a speed bump. Speed bumps in New Zealand are called judder bars. So I explained the house staff that this was judder bar artifact. One of my colleagues suggested I write this up and call it "Judder Bar Flutter". So this is the world premiere of a new rhythm first described by Stephen Stowers MD FACC Senior Consultant in Cardiology Palmerston North Hospital. Cheers from Palmy on the North Island of New Zealand!