Funds 3, EKG/ECG Preparation

Question 1

What does an EKG assess?

Answer 1

The Conductive System of the Heart

Question 2

How is a resting heart cell charged?

Answer 2

It is negatively charged on the inside (It’s Polarized)

Question 3

A resting heart cell has a membrane that is-

Answer 3

Impermeable

Question 4

A resting heart cell has a lot of what on the outside of its membrane?

Answer 4

Sodium

Question 5

What happens whenever a resting heart cell receives a jolt of electricity?

Answer 5

It becomes a Depolarized (Less Negative) heart cell

Question 6

What happens to a resting heart cell’s membrane whenever it receives a jolt of electricity?

Answer 6

It becomes Permeable

Question 7

Whenever a heart cell becomes permeable, what does the sodium outside of the heart cell do?

Answer 7

It enters the heart cell

(Sodium is positive, so the cell becomes less negative)

Question 8

Depolarized heart cells cause the heart to do what?

Answer 8

Contract

Question 9

When a depolarized cell starts becoming relaxed again, it is-

Answer 9

Repolarized (Going back to a negative state)

Question 10

Depolarization leads to-

Answer 10

Contraction

Question 11

Repolarization leads to -

Answer 11

Relaxation

Question 12

Conductive system order?

Answer 12

SA Node —> Bachmann’s Bundle —> AV Node —> Bundle of HIS —> Left & Right Bundle Branches —> Purkinje Fibers

Question 13

Where is the SA Node located?

Answer 13

The Upper Part of the Right Atrium

Question 14

The Pacemaker of the heart =

Answer 14

The SA Node

Question 15

This node keeps your heart beating at a normal rate (60-100 BPM) =

Answer 15

SA Node

Question 16

What is the SA node responsible for?

Answer 16

Making both of the Atria contract
(Atrial Depolarization)

Question 17

What does the Bachmann’s Bundle do?

Answer 17

It allows the SA Node to reach the Left Atrium to make it contract

Question 18

This node is called the Gatekeeper =

Answer 18

AV Node

Question 19

What does the AV Node do?

Answer 19

It helps delay or slow impulses a little bit so that the atria can fully empty themselves into the ventricles

Question 20

What are the Bundle of HIS and the Purkinje Fibers responsible for?

Answer 20

Ventricular Contractions
(Ventricle Depolarization)

Question 21

When should the AV Node fire?

Answer 21

Whenever the Atria are empty

Question 22

Each box of an EKG strip represents-

Answer 22

A measurement of time

Question 23

The tiny boxes in an EKG strip represent-

Answer 23

0.04 Seconds

Question 24

The big boxes in an EKG strip represent-

Answer 24

0.20 Seconds

Question 25

What does the P Wave represent?

Answer 25

Atrial Depolarization

Question 26

What does the PR Segment demonstrate?

Answer 26

The delay created by the AV Node

Question 27

This can be used to determine if the pt has a heart block =

Answer 27

The PR Interval

Question 28

Where does the PR Interval begin and end?

Answer 28

Starts at the beginning of the P Wave, ends at the beginning of the QRS Interval

Question 29

Where does the PR Segment start and end?

Answer 29

Begins after the P wave, ends when the QRS Interval begins

Question 30

This interval demonstrates the time it takes for an electrical signal to go from the atria to reach the AV Node =

Answer 30

PR Interval

Question 31

What does the QRS Complex represent?

Answer 31

Ventricular Depolarization (This leads to the contraction of the ventricles) (Atrial Repolarization also occurs here)

Question 32

What is the J Point?

Answer 32

The point where the QRS Complex meets the ST Segment

Question 33

What does the ST Segment represent?

Answer 33

Completion of Ventricular Depolarization and the beginning of Ventricular Repolarization

Question 34

The ST Segment should look-

Answer 34

Flat (Isoelectric)

Question 35

The ST Segment represents-

Answer 35

The resting of the heart cells

Question 36

What does the T Wave represent?

Answer 36

The beginning of Ventricular Repolarization

Question 37

What is the T Wave caused by?

Answer 37

The large size of the ventricles as they relax

Question 38

When is Ventricular Repolarization complete?

Answer 38

The Isoelectric Line after the T Wave

Question 39

Sometimes after the T Wave, there may be a U Wave, which can be caused by-

Answer 39

Hypokalemia

Question 40

When does the QT Interval start and end?

Answer 40

Starts at the beginning of the QRS Complex, ends after the T Wave

Question 41

What does the QT Interval represent?

Answer 41

The amount of time it takes for electrical signals to cause the ventricles to contract and then relax

Question 42

So what’s the normal order of the waves/segments in an EKG?

Answer 42

P Wave —> PR Segment —> QRS Complex —> ST Segment —> T Wave —> Isoelectric Line

Question 43

A P Wave should measure less than-

Answer 43

0.12 Seconds (3 Tiny Boxes)

Question 44

The PR Interval should fall into the measurement range of-

Answer 44

0.12 Seconds to 0.20 Seconds (3-5 Tiny Boxes)

Question 45

If the PR Interval is over 0.20 seconds, it may indicate-

Answer 45

Heart Blockage

Question 46

Where should the QRS Complex always be?

Answer 46

Always behind every P Wave

Question 47

The QRS Complex shouldn’t measure anymore than-

Answer 47

0.12 Seconds (3 Tiny Boxes)

Question 48

The ST Segment shouldn’t be elevated or depressed more than-

Answer 48

1 mm

Question 49

What should the T Wave be like?

Answer 49

It should only appear after the QRS Complex It should be round, and in the upright position in most leads

Question 50

The QT Interval should be measured at a range of-

Answer 50

0.35 Seconds - 0.44 Seconds (8 and 3 quarters of a tiny box to 11 tiny boxes long)

Question 51

A prolonged QT Interval can increase the risk of-

Answer 51

Ventricular Dysrhythmias (Such as Torsade De Pointes)

Question 52

An EKG Strip should be how long?

Answer 52

6 Seconds (30 Tiny Boxes)

Question 53

When assessing the PQRST, what should you assess?

Answer 53

Regularity Rate Resemblance

Question 54

How would you assess the regularity of P Waves?

Answer 54

Is the length between each P Wave consistent?

Question 55

How would you assess the rate of P Waves?

Answer 55

Count all of the P Waves in the six second strip, multiply the number by 10

Question 56

What should a normal atrial rate be?

Answer 56

Between 60-100 BPM for sinus rhythm

Question 57

Can there be more than one P Wave before every QRS Complex?

Answer 57

Yes, but if there’s more than one then that’s not good

Question 58

When assessing the resemblance, rate, and regularity of a QRS Complex you are going to-

Answer 58

Treat it pretty much the same way you would if you were to assess a P Wave’s resemblance, regularity, and rate. It should also be 60-100 bpm (this is your ventricular rate)

Question 59

Do men and women have the same QT Interval? If not, how do they differ?

Answer 59

Men typically have shorter intervals than women