EKG Interpretation Scenarios Quiz

A 65-year-old patient reports dizziness and fatigue. The EKG strip shows a regular rhythm with a ventricular rate of 45 beats per minute (bpm). Every QRS complex is preceded by a P wave, and all PR intervals are consistent and within the normal range (0.12–0.20 seconds).

• Normal Sinus Rhythm

• Sinus Tachycardia

• Sinus Bradycardia

• First-Degree AV Block

A patient's EKG tracing shows a rapid, regular rhythm with a ventricular rate of 115 bpm. The P waves are present, uniform, and precede every QRS complex. The QRS complex and PR interval are within normal limits.

• Atrial Fibrillation

• Sinus Tachycardia

• Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)

• Ventricular Tachycardia

An EKG tracing demonstrates no discernible P waves; instead, there are rapid, chaotic, irregular, tiny deflections ('Fibrillatory Waves'). The QRS complexes are normal in appearance but occur irregularly irregular at a rate of 95 bpm.

• Atrial Flutter

• Atrial Fibrillation

• Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia

• Ventricular Fibrillation

A 72-year-old patient's EKG shows a regular, 'saw-tooth' pattern of atrial waves, or F-waves, occurring at a rate of about 300 bpm. The ventricular rate is regular at 75 bpm.

• Atrial Fibrillation

• Atrial Flutter

• Sinus Arrhythmia

• Junctional Rhythm

The EKG strip is mostly a normal rhythm but contains one complex that is wide and bizarre, occurring early. The T wave is opposite the QRS deflection, and the complex is not preceded by a P wave.

• Premature Atrial Contraction (PAC)

• Premature Junctional Contraction (PJC)

• Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC)

• Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT)

A patient's EKG shows an extremely rapid, regular rhythm with a rate of 180 bpm. The QRS complexes are narrow, and the P waves are either not visible or are buried within the QRS or T waves.

• Sinus Tachycardia

• Ventricular Tachycardia

• Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)

• Atrial Fibrillation

The EKG strip shows a regular rhythm with a rate of 55 bpm. The P waves are inverted and appear after the QRS complex in some leads. The QRS complex is narrow and normal.

• Sinus Bradycardia

• Junctional Rhythm

• Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm

• Third-Degree AV Block

A strip shows no measurable rate, no P waves, no QRS complexes, and only erratic, chaotic, undulating waves. The patient is unconscious and pulseless.

• Ventricular Fibrillation (V-fib)

• Asystole

• Torsades de Pointes

• Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA)

The EKG tracing shows a fast, regular rhythm with wide QRS complexes (0.16 seconds) at a rate of 140 bpm. There are no clear P waves.

• SVT with aberrancy

• Atrial Flutter with 2:1 block

• Ventricular Tachycardia (V-tach)

• Accelerated Junctional Rhythm

A 35-year-old patient who is hyperventilating shows a rhythm where the R-R interval shortens with inspiration and lengthens with expiration. The heart rate ranges from 70 bpm to 85 bpm, and all complexes are normal.

• Sinus Tachycardia

• Sinus Arrhythmia

• Wandering Atrial Pacemaker

• Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia