Emergency Cardiac Monitoring 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 Emergency Cardiac Monitoring flashcards as text
Which of the following ECG patterns is seen in massive pulmonary embolism and is described as 'S1Q3T3'?
Answer: S wave in lead I, Q wave in lead III, inverted T in lead III
The S1Q3T3 pattern — prominent S in lead I, Q wave in lead III, and T-wave inversion in lead III — reflects acute right heart strain from massive PE.
During emergency monitoring, continuous ST-segment trending is most useful for detecting:
Answer: Silent or ongoing myocardial ischemia
Continuous ST trending allows real-time detection of ischemic episodes, including silent ischemia that produces no symptoms but carries prognostic significance.
A patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome develops rapid atrial fibrillation. Administering AV nodal blocking agents such as adenosine or diltiazem is dangerous because:
Answer: They can accelerate conduction through the bypass tract, causing VF
AV nodal blockers remove the rate-limiting function of the AV node, allowing all AF impulses to conduct preferentially through the faster accessory pathway, potentially causing VF.
A 12-lead ECG shows ST elevation in leads V1–V3 that increases with right-sided precordial leads (V3R–V4R). This pattern suggests:
Answer: Right ventricular infarction
ST elevation that is prominent in right-sided leads (V3R, V4R) indicates right ventricular myocardial infarction, often accompanying inferior STEMI.
Which of the following best describes the role of the ECG technician when a patient develops a life-threatening arrhythmia during a procedure?
Answer: Activate the emergency response system and continue monitoring while assisting the team
The ECG technician's role is to activate emergency response, maintain monitoring to provide real-time data, and support the clinical team — not to independently administer medications.
Osborn (J) waves on an ECG are a classic finding in which emergency condition?
Answer: Hypothermia
Osborn or J waves — positive deflections at the junction of the QRS and ST segment — are pathognomonic for hypothermia and become more prominent as core temperature drops.
During a code, the monitor shows pulseless electrical activity (PEA). The ECG technician should know that PEA is defined as:
Answer: Organized electrical activity on the monitor without a palpable pulse
PEA is any organized (non-shockable) rhythm on the monitor in a patient who has no detectable pulse, requiring CPR and treatment of reversible causes.