Cardiovascular Evaluation & Monitoring Flashcards
7 cards from real ECC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Cardiovascular Evaluation & Monitoring flashcards as text
When interpreting a 12-lead ECG, pathological Q waves are defined as:
Answer: Q waves greater than 40 ms wide or greater than 25% of R wave amplitude
Pathological Q waves are defined as wider than 40 ms (one small box) or deeper than 25% of the R wave height, suggesting prior transmural myocardial infarction.
A patient has a heart rate of 150 bpm with a narrow complex tachycardia on the monitor. The rhythm has no identifiable P waves. Which rhythm is most likely?
Answer: Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation characteristically presents with an irregularly irregular rhythm, no discernible P waves, and a rate typically between 100-180 bpm.
During continuous cardiac monitoring of a post-MI patient, which finding requires the most urgent intervention?
Answer: Sustained ventricular tachycardia with pulse
Sustained ventricular tachycardia with a pulse requires immediate intervention with cardioversion or antiarrhythmic therapy to prevent deterioration to pulseless VT or VF.
Which non-invasive assessment tool provides information about cardiac output trends at the bedside without arterial catheterization?
Answer: Non-invasive cardiac output monitoring via bioimpedance
Bioimpedance-based non-invasive cardiac output monitoring measures thoracic impedance changes with each heartbeat to estimate stroke volume and cardiac output.
A patient in the ICU has the following vitals: BP 88/60, HR 122, RR 26, SpO2 90%. Lung exam reveals bilateral crackles. Which type of shock is most consistent with these findings?
Answer: Cardiogenic shock
Hypotension with tachycardia and bilateral pulmonary crackles indicates pump failure causing pulmonary congestion, which is the hallmark presentation of cardiogenic shock.
On a central venous pressure waveform, the 'v' wave represents:
Answer: Passive venous filling of the atrium during ventricular systole
The 'v' wave reflects passive filling of the right atrium from the venous system while the tricuspid valve is closed during ventricular systole.
Which finding on echocardiography is most diagnostic of cardiac tamponade?
Answer: Right ventricular diastolic collapse
Right ventricular diastolic collapse on echo indicates that pericardial pressure exceeds right ventricular filling pressure, confirming hemodynamically significant tamponade.