EKG and Cardiovascular Testing

A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has shortness of breath for at EKG. In which of the following positions should be assistant place the patient?

• Prone

• Semi- Fowler's

• Supine

• Sims'

A medical assistant is preparing a patient for an EKG. Which of the following instructions should the medical assistant provide?

• "Avoid food or drink for 4 hours prior to the test"

• "Remove all clothing from the waist up"

• "Apply moisturizing lotion to the electrode placement sites"

• "Maintain a full bladder for the duration of the test"

A medical assistant is preparing to perform an EKG recording on a patient. Which of the following information is true of limb leads and electrodes?

• Limb leads are unipolar

• Leads V1 through V6 are limb leads

• Limb leads are placed on the fleshly areas of the skin

• The left leg wire serves as the ground

A medical assistant is calibrating an EKG machine. Which of the following should the assistant identify as the standard speed of the recording?

• 25 mm/second

• 50 mm/second

• 10 mm/second

• 5 mm/second

A medical assistant is preparing a patient for an EKG. In which of the following locations should the assistant place the V4 lead?

• 5th intercostal space at the anterior axillary line

• 5th intercostal space at the midaxillary line

• Midway between V3 and V5

• 5th intercostal space at the midclavicular line

A medical assistant notes a wandering baseline throughout an EKG tracing. Which of the following electrocardiograph issues could have resulted in this occurrence?

• The electrode pads were defective or poorly attached

• The machine was missing the grounding prong for the outlet

• The machine did not have the proper standardization settings set

• The cable tips were loose or had become separated

A medical assistant notices rhythmic sharp spikes throughout and EKG tracing. Which of the following artifacts is occurring?

• wandering baseline

• interrupted baseline

• interference

• somatic tremor

What is the ratio of applied leads to recorded leads for a standard EKG machine?

• 10:10

• 3:6

• 10:12

• 9:12

When performing an EKG, a medical assistant notices a widened QRS complex on the patient's EKG strip. Which of the following is a possible cause of this type of artifact?

• Atrial fibrillation

• Bradycardia

• Sinus Dysrhythmia

• Premature ventricular contraction

Which performing an EKG, a medical assistant notes a pause in the EKG pattern. The medical assistant ensures that all of the leads are properly connected, and the regularity resumes. The short pause is an indication of which of the following?

• Myocardial Infarction

• Polarization

• Dysrhythmia

• Somatic Tremor