Cardiac Care and ECG Flashcards
6 cards from real PCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Cardiac Care and ECG flashcards as text
Atrial fibrillation on an ECG is characterized by:
Answer: Irregularly irregular RR intervals with fibrillatory baseline and no distinct P waves
Atrial fibrillation shows an irregularly irregular ventricular response with fibrillatory (chaotic) baseline replacing distinct P waves.
The classic ECG finding in hyperkalemia is:
Answer: Peaked (tent-shaped) T waves and widened QRS
Hyperkalemia progressively causes peaked T waves, PR prolongation, widened QRS, and can degrade to sine-wave pattern and cardiac arrest.
A delta wave on an ECG is associated with which condition?
Answer: Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome
A delta wave (slurred QRS upstroke) indicates ventricular pre-excitation via an accessory pathway, characteristic of WPW syndrome.
The energy used for defibrillation of ventricular fibrillation with a biphasic defibrillator is:
Answer: 200 J
Biphasic defibrillation for VF/pulseless VT typically starts at 200 J (or manufacturer's recommendation).
Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) is defined as:
Answer: Organized ECG activity without a palpable pulse
PEA is organized (or semi-organized) electrical activity on the monitor in the absence of a palpable pulse.
Which reversible cause of PEA is indicated by distended neck veins, absent breath sounds, and tracheal deviation?
Answer: Tension pneumothorax
Tension pneumothorax causes PEA with distended neck veins, absent unilateral breath sounds, and tracheal deviation away from the affected side.