EKG Administration Flashcards

A patient's EKG shows a prolonged QT interval. Which condition is this finding most commonly associated with?

Answer: Hypokalemia

Hypokalemia (low potassium) prolongs the QT interval and can predispose the patient to life-threatening arrhythmias such as torsades de pointes.

When placing a V4 precordial lead, the correct anatomical position is:

Answer: 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line

V4 is placed at the 5th intercostal space at the midclavicular line on the left side of the chest.

Which of the following is the correct sequence of electrical conduction in the heart?

Answer: SA node → AV node → Bundle of His → Purkinje fibers

Normal cardiac conduction begins at the SA node, travels to the AV node, then through the Bundle of His and Purkinje fibers to depolarize the ventricles.

A medical assistant notices the EKG tracing shows a flat, wandering baseline. The MOST likely cause is:

Answer: Patient movement or breathing

A wandering baseline is most commonly caused by patient movement, muscle tremor, or breathing artifact during the recording.

On a standard EKG strip, the paper speed in the United States is:

Answer: 25 mm/sec

Standard US EKG paper speed is 25 mm per second, which means each small square represents 0.04 seconds.

Which EKG finding is characteristic of ventricular fibrillation?

Answer: Chaotic, irregular waveforms with no identifiable P waves or QRS complexes

Ventricular fibrillation produces chaotic, disorganized electrical activity with no discernible P waves, QRS complexes, or T waves.

To reduce somatic tremor artifact caused by an elderly or anxious patient during an EKG, a medical assistant should:

Answer: Ask the patient to lie still, relax muscles, and breathe normally

Instructing the patient to relax all muscles and breathe normally is the primary intervention to reduce somatic muscle tremor artifact.