American Allied Health EKG Technician Certification Exam| Comprehensive Certification Examination | Verified Questions & Answers | 2026/2027 Update - 100% Correct Solutions

American Allied Health EKG Technician Certification Exam| Comprehensive Certification Examination | Verified Questions & Answers | 2026/2027 Update - 100% Correct Solutions Q: Who developed the first EKG? Answer William Einthoven Q: The electrical impulses are delivered to the ventricles by way of the: Answer Purkinje Fibers Q: Another name for the S-A node is: Answer Pacemaker Q: The presence or development of a blood clot inside a blood vessel is called: Answer Thrombosis Q: How many chambers does the heart have? Answer 4 Q: An aneurysm is a sack formed by an out-pocketing of a portion of a(n): a) Venous wall b) Arterial wall c) Pericardium d) Both a and b Answer d) Both a and b Q: Stroke volume multiplied by the number of beats per minute is the formula for: Answer Cardiac output Q: An agonal rhythm indicates a: Answer Dying heart Q: The average number of heart contractions per minute is: Answer 60-100 Q: Which of the following can be a cause for the hardening of arteries? Answer Formation of plaque Q: The first machine used for EKG was called a(n): a) Stethoscope b) Oscilloscope c) Cardioscope d) None of the above Answer d) None of the above Q: Angina pectoris is a(n): a) Ischemia of myocardium b) Pulled muscle c) Chest pain d) Both a and c Answer d) Both a and c Q: In a sinus arrhythmia, the rhythm will be: Answer irregular Q: The customary way to identify an inpatient is: Answer Examining the wristbrand Q: On EKG paper, one small box represents: Answer .04 sec and 1 mm Q: The PR segment represents: Answer Delay at the AV node Q: Blood entering the right atrium is: Answer Deoxygenated Q: EKG graph paper can be used to measure: a) Amplitude b) Voltage c) Time d) All of the above Answer d) All of the above Q: Which system affects the atria, ventricles, and valves? Answer Cardiovascular system Q: Normal adult axillary temperature is: Answer 97.6 Q: AHA is the abbreviation for Answer American Heart Association Q: Swelling due to fluid build up in the tissues is called: Answer Edema Q: The upper chambers of the heart are called: Answer Atria Q: The following are symptoms of decreased cardiac output: a) Cold, clammy skin b) Change in color c) Dyspnea and fatigue d) All of the above Answer d) All of the above The bicuspid valve is also called the: Answer Mitral valve Tachycardia is: Answer Faster than 100 beats per minute The interior lining of the heart is called the: Endocardium A Holter monitor is used to diagnose: a) Cardiac rhythm b) Conduction abnormalities c) Blood pressure d) Both a and b d) Both a and b Three electrolytes that play an important role in cardiac conduction include: Potassium, Calcium, and Sodium A 12 lead ECG provides views from which 2 planes? Frontal and horizontal What do muscle cells need in order to contract? Calcium The normal PRI should measure between: 0.12 to 0.20 sec Systolic pressure occurs when the ventricles are: a) At rest b) Contracting c) Hardening d) Both a and b b) Contracting The heart rate is influenced by the: Autonomic nervous system PVC's originate in the: ventricles Disorders(s) related to inadequate blood supply include: a) Angina pectoris b) Sinus arrhythmia c) MI d) Both a and c d) Both a and c The primary pacemaker of the heart is the: SA node Patient ductus arteriosus is a: Congenital disorder The pericardium is: c) The double-walled sac that encloses the heart Where are Beta-1 receptors located? The heart Which of the following are the Atrioventricular (AV) valves? Tricuspid and mitral The T waves represents: Ventricular repolarization Ventricular rate and rhythm are determined by measuring from: a) P wave to P wave b) P wave to R wave c) Q wave to T wave d) R wave to R wave d) R wave to R wave The definition of syncope is: a) Backache b) Headache c) Dizziness d) Loss of consciousness d) Loss of consciousness The P wave represents: a) Ventricular depolarization b) Ventricular polarization c) Atrial depolarization d) Both a and c c) Atrial depolarization Where is lead 1 positive (+) placed? Left arm The epicardium is: The outermost layer of the heart In first degree heart block, the PRI is: a) Greater than 0.2 seconds b) Less than 0.2 seconds c) Greater than 0.5 seconds d) Less than 0.5 seconds a) Greater than 0.2 seconds Which of the following is considered a prolonged PR interval? a) 0.08 second b) 0.16 second c) 0.20 second d) 0.24 second d) 0.24 second In second-degree AV block with 2:1 conduction, the PR interval: lengthens What is responsible for separating the right and left ventricle: a) Inner heart valve b) Ventricular valve c) Intraventricular septum d) None of the above c) Intraventricular septum The mediastinum is: The space between the lungs in the middle of the chest The function of the AV node is to: Delay the electrical signal to the Purkinje fibers Depolarization of ventricles is a: QRS complex Depolarization of the atria is a: P wave Repolarization of ventricles is a: T wave Both depolarization and repolarization of the ventricles is a: QT Wave A chaotic electrical activity with waveforms varying in size and shape is a(n): Ventricular Fibrillation A regular rate and rhythm at 100-200 beats/minute is a(n): Ventricular Tachycardia Complete absence of ventricular electrical activity is a(n): Asystole A premature beat with a wide-notched QRS is a(n): PVC The correct term that refers to an ectopic site in the atria stimulates a premature contraction before the SA node can act is: PAC The correct term that refers to a rapid abnormal rhythm from an ectopic site in the atria with a rapid onset is: PAT The correct term that refers to the atria contracting at an extremely rapid rate of 300 beats/minute is: Atrial Flutter The correct term that refers to the atrial activity as rapid and chaotic is: Atrial Fibrillation A dysrhythmia is best defined as: An alteration in the normal heart rhythm Which of the following terms means a condition in which the heart is unable to pump out all of the blood that is returned to it, causing a backing up of blood in the vein leading to the heart? Congestive Heart Failure A sinus rhythm at a rate of 48 would be considered: Bradycardia Which structures maintain the control of blood flowing through the heart? Valves Impulses from the AV node go through the ________________ to the right and left bundle branches. Bundle of His When a site speeds up and takes over as the pacemaker, it is referred to as: Ectopic pacemaker There are five small squares between the bold lines on the graph paper. What is the length of time it takes to cross one small square? 0.04 seconds A junctional tachycardia is: a) Irregular b) Regular c) Sporadic d) Timed b) Regular Rhythms that originate in the AV junction include: a) PJC b) Accelerated junctional rhythm c) Junctional tachycardia d) All of the above d) All of the above The QRS measurement for a PAC should be: a) Less than 0.12 seconds b) More than 0.12 seconds, but less than 15 seconds c) More than 15 seconds d) Lfess than 0.04 seconds a) Less than 0.12 seconds What is the rate range for junctional tachycardia? 100-180 The atrial rate in atrial fibrillation is: More than 350 bpm Wenckebach is characterized by increasingly long PRI's followed by a ______________ P wave. Blocked Which of the following small waves sometimes appears between the T wave and the P wave? U wave Normally a complete ECG consists of how many leads? 12 When you have more than one premature beat that appears identical, they are called: Unifocal When you have more than one premature beat that are of a different kind, they are called: Multifocal The segment representing the period of time from the end of the P wave to the onset of the QRS complex is the: P-R segment Electrode contact can be improved by: a) Shaving the hair b) Cleaning or drying the skin c) Using a contact medium d) All of the above d) All of the above Defibrillation is a: a) Shock to the heart to stop the heart b) Shock to the heart to start the heart c) Shock to the heart to change the hearts rhythm d) Both A and C d) Both A and C Artifact can be caused by: a) Alternating current b) Patient movement c) Poorly applied or dirty sensors d) All of the above d) All of the above A straight line on the ECG strip produced by the stylus when the EKG isn't connected to the patient is called: Isoelectric line A QRS measurement of less than _________ seconds indicates a supraventricular pacemaker. 0.12 When the atria and ventricles are seen to be beating independently it is called: Third-degree heart block The single most important thing you can do to prevent the spread of infection is: Wash your hands A regular rhythm with a normal rate is a: Normal Sinus Rhythm A rhythm with regular P-P and R-R intervals, a normal P wave before each QRS complex, and a rate below 60 beats per minute would most likely be: Sinus Bradycardia A rhythm that is normal in every respect with a rate of 101-180 beats per minute is called: Sinus Tachycardia In atrial tachycardia, the atrial rate can be as low as: 100-150 bpm A regular rhythm with a rate of 100-250 beats per minute would most likely be: Atrial Tachycardia The inherent rate for the SA node is: 60-100 bpm The inherent rate for the AV junction is: 40-60 bpm Leads II, III AVF view which portion of the heart? a) Septal b) Anterior c) Inferior d) Lateral c) Inferior Leads V1 and V2 view which portion of the heart? a) Anterior b) Inferior c) Lateral d) Septal d) Septal Leads V3 and V4 view which portion of the heart? a) Anterior b) Lateral c) Inferior d) Septal a) Anterior The ________________________ supplies the right atrium and ventricle with blood: Right coronary artery When the cardiac muscle cell is stimulated, the cell is said to: Depolarize Tall, peaked T-waves observed on the ECG are most commonly seen in patients with: Hyperkalemia Which of the following are chest leads? V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6 In sinus arrhythmia, a gradual decreasing of the heart rate is usually associated with: Expiration How do you determine whether the atrial rhythm on an ECG tracing is regular or irregular? Compare P to P intervals The usual rate of nonparoxsymal junction tachycardia is: 101-140 bpm The term for three or more PVC's occurring in a row at a rate of more than 100 beats per minute is: A run of ventricular tachycardia In 2:1 AV block, the PR interval: lengthens How are frequent PAC's usually managed? Correcting the underlying cause The most common type of supraventricular tachycardia is: AV NODAL Reentrant Tachycardia (AVNRT) Which cells are specialized cells of the electrical conduction system responsible for the spontaneous generation and conduction of electrical impulses? Pacemaker U waves are thought to represent: Repolarization of the Purkinje Fibers Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is associated with: Short PR interval, delta wave, and wide QRS complex. The P-R interval of a first degree AV block: Is constant and greater than 0.2 second in duration Which of the following ECG leads are bipolar leads? a) I, II, III b) I and AVL c) I, II, AVR d) II and AV a) I, II, III When the cardiac muscle cells are stimulated: a) The heart is at rest b) There is ischemia c) There is no heartbeat d) None of the above d) None of the above The basic contractile unit of amyofibril is the: Sarcomere The anterior surface of the heart consists primarily of the: Right ventricle If the heart is in a state of asystole: There is no contraction