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
A patient develops new-onset atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response (RVR) and is hemodynamically unstable. The priority intervention is:
Answer: Immediate synchronized cardioversion
Hemodynamic instability with rapid AF requires immediate synchronized cardioversion rather than pharmacological rate or rhythm control.
Which ECG change is most consistent with hyperkalemia at a serum potassium level of 6.5 mEq/L?
Answer: Peaked T waves and widened QRS
Hyperkalemia initially causes tall, peaked T waves and with progressive elevation leads to PR prolongation, QRS widening, and ultimately a sine wave pattern.
When calculating mean arterial pressure (MAP), which formula is correct?
Answer: MAP = Diastolic BP + 1/3 (Systolic BP - Diastolic BP)
MAP equals diastolic BP plus one-third of the pulse pressure because the heart spends approximately two-thirds of the cardiac cycle in diastole.
A patient presents with bradycardia, hypotension, and a first-degree heart block on ECG following an inferior STEMI. Which vessel is most likely occluded?
Answer: Right coronary artery
The right coronary artery supplies the inferior wall, the SA node (in ~60% of people), and the AV node, making RCA occlusion the cause of inferior MI with conduction disturbances.
During post-cardiac arrest monitoring, which target is recommended for arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) to avoid secondary brain injury?
Answer: SpO2 94-99%
Current guidelines recommend titrating oxygen to SpO2 94-99% post-arrest to avoid both hypoxia and hyperoxia, as excess oxygen may worsen neurological outcomes.
Which finding best differentiates pericarditis from STEMI on a 12-lead ECG?
Answer: Diffuse saddle-shaped ST elevation in multiple leads with PR depression in pericarditis
Pericarditis causes diffuse saddle-shaped ST elevation across multiple lead territories with PR segment depression, whereas STEMI has regional ST changes with reciprocal depressions.
A post-cardiac surgery patient has a CVP of 18 mmHg, cardiac output of 2.2 L/min, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 20 mmHg. Which intervention is most appropriate?
Answer: Initiation of inotropic support and vasopressors for cardiogenic shock
Elevated filling pressures bilaterally with low cardiac output defines cardiogenic shock, requiring inotropic support to improve contractility and perfusion.