Cardiac Arrhythmias

Question 1

When one has a regular heart rate of more than 100 bpm, what is this called?

Answer 1

sinus tachycardia

Question 2

When one has a regular heart rate of less than 60 bpm, what is this called?

Answer 2

sinus bradycardia

Question 3

When phasic cycles of breathing cause changes in the heart rhythm, what is this called? Is this a problem?

Answer 3

respiratory arrhythmia

this is usually not a problem

Question 4

What is a hesitation in the sinoatrial intitiation called?

Answer 4

sinus pause

Question 5

What are possible causes of PAC’s?

Answer 5

Rheumatic heart disease, MI, Htn, meds, hypoxia

Question 6

What are the symptoms of PAC’s?

Answer 6

PAC’s usually don’t cause symptoms, but if they do it is:
fatigue
bradycardia

Question 7

What is the usual treatment for PAC’s?

Answer 7

none usually, but if needed meds (thrombolytics) or ablation (burning ectopic foci).

Question 8

What happens in atrial flutter?

Answer 8

AV Node doesn’t capture all the SA node signals, you don’t get a QRS for every P wave.

Question 9

What are some of the causes of atrial flutter?
symptoms?
treatment?

Answer 9

causes: caffeine, nicotine, COPD, heart failure, MI, digitalis, Rheumatic heart disease, valvular disease.
symptoms: nothing unusual or pt feels flutter
treatment: meds or cardioversion.

Question 10

“bag of worms” refers to what condition? What is the symptoms of this condition? treatment?

Answer 10

atrial fibrillation

symptoms: syncope, fatigue, palpitations
treatment: meds, ablation

Question 11

How many bpm is a regular junctional rhythm?
junctional bradycardia?
junctional tachycardia?
accelerated junctional rhythm?

Answer 11

regular junctional rhythm: 40-60 bpm
junctional bradycardia: <40 bpm
junctional tachycardia: 100 bpm
accelerated junctional rhythm: 60-100 bpm

Question 12

What does a junctional rhythm look like?

Answer 12

no P wave but QRS looking normal

Question 13

What does a 1st degree heart block involve?

Answer 13

Signal from SA to AV is delayed, resulting in prolonged P-R interval (> .20).

Question 14

What is the main characteristic of 2nd degree heart blocks?

Answer 14

dropped QRS

Question 15

What is it called when the PR interval gradually elongates until it misses a QRS?

Answer 15

Mobitz Type I Heart Block

Question 16

What does a Mobitz Type II heart block involve?

Answer 16

Fixed prolonged PR intervals with missed QRS.

Question 17

What does a 3rd degree heart block involve?

What is the usual treatment?

Answer 17

dissociation between atria and ventricles - P doesn’t relate to QRS.
treatment: pacemaker, medications

Question 18

If you see “rabbit ears” on an ECG, what is this called? What direction does the electical impulse travel?

Answer 18

Right BBB. Travels down left side then right.

Question 19

What does a left BBB look like? What direction does the electrical impulse travel?

Answer 19

Wide bizarre looking QRS, steep R and slow wide S. Travels down right side then left side.

Question 20

What happens with a ideoventricular rhythm?

Answer 20

P not associated with QRS, QRS wide and slow.

Question 21

How many PVC’s in a row does it take to call it ventricular tachycardia?

Answer 21

3

Question 22

Caffeine can cause what 2 types of arrhythmias?

Alcohol can cause what 2 types of arrhythmias?

Answer 22

caffeine: atrial flutter and PVC’s
alcohol: atrial flutter and ventricular tachycardia

Question 23

What is intermittent ventricular tachycardia called?

Answer 23

Salvo

Question 24

V-tach characterized by rotation of the heart’s electrical axis by at least 180 degrees, long and short R-R intervals and prolonged QT intervals is called what?

Answer 24

Torsades de Pointes