RCIS Study Guide 2026

Adenosine is a medication commonly used to terminate supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) during an electrophysiology study. Adenosine works by temporarily blocking the atrioventricular (AV) node, which often interrupts the re-entrant electrical pathway responsible for SVT. Its rapid onset and short duration of action make it effective for acute termination.

Abciximab is a monoclonal antibody fragment that binds to the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor on the surface of platelets. This action blocks the final common pathway of platelet aggregation, preventing fibrinogen from linking platelets together.

The common iliac arteries bifurcate into the internal and external iliac arteries. When stenting a lesion in one common iliac artery that extends to the aortic bifurcation, care must be taken not to 'jail' or cover the ostium of the contralateral common iliac artery. This could compromise blood flow to the other leg, a complication that may require complex 'kissing stent' techniques to resolve.

Combined coronary angiography and right heart catheterization is routinely performed in heart transplant patients for allograft vasculopathy surveillance and in heart failure patients for hemodynamic assessment.

Intra-arterial vasodilators such as nitroglycerin or verapamil administered through the sheath are first-line treatment for radial artery spasm.

The primary goal of an EPD, such as a filter or a balloon occlusion system, is to prevent procedural emboli from traveling to the brain. During angioplasty and stenting of the carotid artery, atherosclerotic debris can be dislodged. The EPD is deployed distal to the lesion to capture this debris, thereby reducing the risk of periprocedural stroke.