Which arrhythmia is characterized by a "sawtooth" pattern on an ECG?

Atrial flutter is characterized by a distinct "sawtooth" pattern on an ECG, often described as "F-waves." This pattern typically occurs in a regular rhythm and can be observed as a series of sharp peaks resembling a sawtooth. The appearance of these waves is due to a rapid reentrant circuit in the right atrium, and it is commonly seen at a rate of around 300 beats per minute. Atrial flutter can lead to inefficient atrial contraction and associated complications such as thrombus formation, especially if the flutter persists.

In this context, while atrial fibrillation may present as an irregularly irregular rhythm on an ECG, it does not have the sawtooth appearance and is characterized by chaotic atrial electrical activity. Ventricular tachycardia displays wide and bizarre QRS complexes but lacks the definite sawtooth pattern of atrial flutter. Bradycardia, defined as a slower than normal heart rate, does not have a specific pattern attributed to it and is not associated with the sawtooth appearance seen in atrial flutter. Thus, the recognition of the "sawtooth" pattern is essential in identifying atrial flutter accurately in a clinical setting.