ECG Artifact Troubleshooting Flashcards
7 cards from real CET practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 ECG Artifact Troubleshooting flashcards as text
A patient is shivering during an ECG recording, producing irregular, high-frequency baseline noise. What is the most appropriate first action?
Answer: Cover the patient with a warm blanket and wait
Shivering causes muscle artifact; warming the patient reduces involuntary muscle activity and resolves the artifact.
Which ECG lead is most susceptible to respiratory artifact due to its electrode placement along the thoracic axis?
Answer: Lead II
Lead II, with electrodes on the right arm and left leg, aligns with the craniocaudal thoracic axis most affected by diaphragmatic movement during breathing.
An ECG shows intermittent sharp spikes at irregular intervals unrelated to the cardiac cycle. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: Loose electrode connection
Intermittent sharp spikes that occur randomly are a hallmark of a loose or intermittently connected electrode.
When troubleshooting AC interference on an ECG, which action should be performed LAST?
Answer: Engage the ECG machine's built-in 60 Hz notch filter as a permanent solution
The notch filter should be a last resort because it can distort ST segments and T-wave morphology, potentially masking clinically relevant changes.
A technician notices the ECG baseline drifts upward when the patient inhales and downward when the patient exhales. This pattern is best described as:
Answer: Respiratory baseline wander
Cyclical baseline movement synchronized with breathing is classic respiratory baseline wander caused by impedance changes as the chest wall expands and contracts.
Which skin preparation step has the greatest impact on reducing electrode impedance and minimizing artifact?
Answer: Clipping or shaving excess hair at electrode sites
Removing hair ensures full electrode-to-skin contact, which is the primary determinant of low impedance and high signal quality.
On a 12-lead ECG, artifact appears only in leads V1–V4 but all limb leads are clean. What is the most likely source?
Answer: One or more precordial electrodes have poor skin contact
Artifact isolated to contiguous precordial leads points to a problem at one or more chest electrode sites, since limb leads are unaffected.