EKG Certification General 1 Flashcards
6 cards from real EKG certification Certification practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 EKG Certification General 1 flashcards as text
What is the normal duration of a QRS complex in an adult?
Answer: 0.04–0.10 seconds
A normal QRS complex measures 0.04–0.10 seconds (up to 2.5 small squares). A duration greater than 0.12 seconds suggests a bundle branch block or ventricular conduction delay.
On a standard EKG, how fast does the paper move?
Answer: 25 mm/sec
Standard EKG paper speed is 25 mm/sec. This means each small square (1 mm) represents 0.04 seconds, and each large square (5 mm) represents 0.20 seconds.
Which waveform on an EKG represents atrial depolarization?
Answer: P wave
The P wave represents atrial depolarization — the electrical impulse spreading through the atria from the SA node. The QRS complex represents ventricular depolarization, and the T wave represents ventricular repolarization.
A rhythm strip shows no visible P waves and an irregularly irregular ventricular response. What is the most likely rhythm?
Answer: Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is characterized by chaotic atrial activity with no discrete P waves, a fibrillatory baseline, and an irregularly irregular ventricular response. Atrial flutter shows sawtooth flutter waves at a regular rate.
What does the T wave on an EKG represent?
Answer: Ventricular repolarization
The T wave represents ventricular repolarization — the recovery phase of the ventricles after contraction. Atrial repolarization occurs but is hidden within the QRS complex.
Which EKG change is a classic early sign of hyperkalemia?
Answer: Peaked, narrow T waves
Peaked (tall, narrow, tent-shaped) T waves are typically the earliest EKG manifestation of hyperkalemia. As potassium rises further, the PR interval lengthens, QRS widens, and eventually a sine-wave pattern or cardiac arrest can occur.