EKG Miscellaneous
A patient is having a cardiac stress test and reports to the medical assistant that she feels increased perspiration. What actions should the medical assistant take?
Continue the test without interruption.
A CCMA should tell a patient that the body's deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium via which blood vessels?
Superior and inferior vena cava
The primary “natural” pacemaker for a healthy heart is what?
SA node
A CCMA is performing a 12-lead EKG and notices the patient's heart rate is 44/min. What does this heart rate reflect?
Bradycardia
What wave represents atrial depolarization?
P wave
A CCMA is preparing a patient for a Holter monitor. How many electrodes should the technician place on the patient?
5
A CCMA should report narrowing of the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle to a health care team member as affecting which valve?
Mitral
What term describes the absence of electrical activity in the heart?
Asystole
What rhythm is commonly associated with an inverted P wave?
Junctional
QRS Complex
A medical assistant is preparing to do an EKG on a cardiac patient. In which of the following positions should the patient be for this procedure?
Supine
A CCMA should explain to a patient that blood flows from the heart to the lungs via which blood vessels?
Pulmonary arteries
What term refers to an electrical event that coincides with contraction?
Depolarization
Sweat and lotion on a patient's skin can interfere with the signal going to the EKG machine causing what?
Wandering baseline
What is reflected as the P wave on the EKG?
Atrial depolarization
A CCMA is performing an EKG and observes that the patient is sweating. After assessing the tracing, the technician notices that lead II is not recording. What should the technician check?
Electrode connection
Which arteries supply blood to the heart muscle?
Coronary arteries
In the sequence of the electrical stimulation of the heart, what part of the conduction system is stimulated next after the sinoatrial node?
Atrioventricular node
A CCMA completes an EKG and notes that the strip shows erratic spikes. What is the cause of this artifact?
The patient is cold and shivering
A CCMA would recognize hypotension as defined by what?
Systolic pressure below 90 and diastolic pressure below 60 mm Hg
A CCMA is performing a stress test on a patient who is experiencing ventricular tachycardia. What action is is appropriate for the technician to take?
Alert the provider
A CCMA should recognize that which of the following heart rates is within the expected rage for an adult patient who is resting in beats per minute? A. 40 B. 50 C. 80 D. 110
C. 80
When performing a 12-lead EKG, the CCMA should explain to the patient that the machine is recording what?
Electrical activity of the heart
While a patient is having an EKG performed, another individual in the room uses a mobile phone. What should the CCMA expect to see on the tracing?
AC interference
According to the CDC guidelines, Standard Precautions prevent the spread of infections from all of the following except: A. Blood B. Nonintact skin C. Mucus membranes D. Sweat
D. Sweat