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EMT FISDAP Cardiology Exam — A+
Assessment Questions and Answers Study
Review.
QUESTION 1:
The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from which two major vessels?
A) Pulmonary veins and coronary sinus
B) Superior vena cava and inferior vena cava
C) Pulmonary arteries and aorta
D) Jugular veins and subclavian veins
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The superior vena cava drains blood from the upper body and the inferior vena cava drains blood
from the lower body, both emptying into the right atrium. This represents the systemic venous return pathway
of blood flow through the heart.
QUESTION 2:
Which heart valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle?
A) Tricuspid valve
B) Pulmonic valve
C) Mitral (bicuspid) valve
D) Aortic valve
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: The mitral valve, also called the bicuspid valve, is located between the left atrium and left ventricle.
It prevents backflow of blood into the atrium during ventricular systole and is the only valve with two cusps.
QUESTION 3:
Which chamber of the heart is responsible for pumping oxygenated blood to the systemic circulation?
A) Right atrium
B) Right ventricle
C) Left atrium
D) Left ventricle
CORRECT ANSWER: D
RATIONALE: The left ventricle is the most muscular chamber of the heart, generating the high pressure
(approximately 120 mmHg systolic) needed to pump oxygenated blood through the aorta to the entire body. Its
thick myocardial wall reflects this high-pressure workload.
QUESTION 4:
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The coronary arteries originate from which structure?
A) Pulmonary artery
B) Aortic root
C) Left ventricle
D) Right atrium
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The right and left coronary arteries arise from the aortic root, just above the aortic valve. They
provide the myocardium with oxygenated blood; blockage of these arteries causes myocardial infarction.
QUESTION 5:
In the cardiac conduction system, which structure serves as the primary pacemaker of the heart?
A) AV node
B) Bundle of His
C) Sinoatrial (SA) node
D) Purkinje fibers
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: The SA node, located in the right atrium near the superior vena cava, spontaneously generates
electrical impulses at 60-100 beats per minute, establishing the normal sinus rhythm. It is the heart's intrinsic
pacemaker.
QUESTION 6:
Which structure delays the electrical impulse to allow the atria to complete contraction before ventricular
contraction begins?
A) SA node
B) AV node
C) Bundle branches
D) Purkinje fibers
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The AV node, located at the junction of the atria and ventricles, delays the electrical impulse by
approximately 0.1 seconds. This delay ensures complete atrial emptying (atrial kick) before ventricular systole
begins, optimizing cardiac output.
QUESTION 7:
The normal pathway of electrical conduction through the heart is:
A) SA node → AV node → Bundle of His → Bundle branches → Purkinje fibers
B) AV node → SA node → Bundle branches → Purkinje fibers
C) Purkinje fibers → Bundle branches → AV node → SA node
D) SA node → Bundle of His → AV node → Purkinje fibers
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CORRECT ANSWER: A
RATIONALE: Electrical impulses originate at the SA node, travel to the AV node where they are delayed, then
pass through the Bundle of His, divide into right and left bundle branches, and finally spread through Purkinje
fibers to depolarize the ventricular myocardium.
QUESTION 8:
Which blood vessel carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs?
A) Aorta
B) Pulmonary vein
C) Pulmonary artery
D) Vena cava
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: The pulmonary artery is the only artery that carries deoxygenated blood. It transports blood from
the right ventricle to the lungs for oxygenation. After oxygenation, blood returns via pulmonary veins to the left
atrium.
QUESTION 9:
The pericardium consists of how many layers?
A) One layer
B) Two layers
C) Three layers
D) Four layers
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The pericardium consists of two layers: the fibrous pericardium (outer, tough layer) and the serous
pericardium (inner layer, which has parietal and visceral components). The space between these layers contains
pericardial fluid that reduces friction during heart movement.
QUESTION 10:
Which coronary artery typically supplies the inferior wall of the left ventricle?
A) Left anterior descending artery
B) Right coronary artery
C) Left circumflex artery
D) Posterior descending artery
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: In approximately 85% of people (right-dominant circulation), the right coronary artery gives off the
posterior descending artery, which supplies the inferior wall of the left ventricle. RCA occlusion often causes
inferior wall STEMI with associated bradycardia due to SA/AV node ischemia.
QUESTION 11:
EMT FISDAP Cardiology Exam — A+
Assessment Questions and Answers Study
Review.
QUESTION 1:
The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from which two major vessels?
A) Pulmonary veins and coronary sinus
B) Superior vena cava and inferior vena cava
C) Pulmonary arteries and aorta
D) Jugular veins and subclavian veins
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The superior vena cava drains blood from the upper body and the inferior vena cava drains blood
from the lower body, both emptying into the right atrium. This represents the systemic venous return pathway
of blood flow through the heart.
QUESTION 2:
Which heart valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle?
A) Tricuspid valve
B) Pulmonic valve
C) Mitral (bicuspid) valve
D) Aortic valve
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: The mitral valve, also called the bicuspid valve, is located between the left atrium and left ventricle.
It prevents backflow of blood into the atrium during ventricular systole and is the only valve with two cusps.
QUESTION 3:
Which chamber of the heart is responsible for pumping oxygenated blood to the systemic circulation?
A) Right atrium
B) Right ventricle
C) Left atrium
D) Left ventricle
CORRECT ANSWER: D
RATIONALE: The left ventricle is the most muscular chamber of the heart, generating the high pressure
(approximately 120 mmHg systolic) needed to pump oxygenated blood through the aorta to the entire body. Its
thick myocardial wall reflects this high-pressure workload.
QUESTION 4:
,2
The coronary arteries originate from which structure?
A) Pulmonary artery
B) Aortic root
C) Left ventricle
D) Right atrium
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The right and left coronary arteries arise from the aortic root, just above the aortic valve. They
provide the myocardium with oxygenated blood; blockage of these arteries causes myocardial infarction.
QUESTION 5:
In the cardiac conduction system, which structure serves as the primary pacemaker of the heart?
A) AV node
B) Bundle of His
C) Sinoatrial (SA) node
D) Purkinje fibers
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: The SA node, located in the right atrium near the superior vena cava, spontaneously generates
electrical impulses at 60-100 beats per minute, establishing the normal sinus rhythm. It is the heart's intrinsic
pacemaker.
QUESTION 6:
Which structure delays the electrical impulse to allow the atria to complete contraction before ventricular
contraction begins?
A) SA node
B) AV node
C) Bundle branches
D) Purkinje fibers
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The AV node, located at the junction of the atria and ventricles, delays the electrical impulse by
approximately 0.1 seconds. This delay ensures complete atrial emptying (atrial kick) before ventricular systole
begins, optimizing cardiac output.
QUESTION 7:
The normal pathway of electrical conduction through the heart is:
A) SA node → AV node → Bundle of His → Bundle branches → Purkinje fibers
B) AV node → SA node → Bundle branches → Purkinje fibers
C) Purkinje fibers → Bundle branches → AV node → SA node
D) SA node → Bundle of His → AV node → Purkinje fibers
, 3
CORRECT ANSWER: A
RATIONALE: Electrical impulses originate at the SA node, travel to the AV node where they are delayed, then
pass through the Bundle of His, divide into right and left bundle branches, and finally spread through Purkinje
fibers to depolarize the ventricular myocardium.
QUESTION 8:
Which blood vessel carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs?
A) Aorta
B) Pulmonary vein
C) Pulmonary artery
D) Vena cava
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: The pulmonary artery is the only artery that carries deoxygenated blood. It transports blood from
the right ventricle to the lungs for oxygenation. After oxygenation, blood returns via pulmonary veins to the left
atrium.
QUESTION 9:
The pericardium consists of how many layers?
A) One layer
B) Two layers
C) Three layers
D) Four layers
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The pericardium consists of two layers: the fibrous pericardium (outer, tough layer) and the serous
pericardium (inner layer, which has parietal and visceral components). The space between these layers contains
pericardial fluid that reduces friction during heart movement.
QUESTION 10:
Which coronary artery typically supplies the inferior wall of the left ventricle?
A) Left anterior descending artery
B) Right coronary artery
C) Left circumflex artery
D) Posterior descending artery
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: In approximately 85% of people (right-dominant circulation), the right coronary artery gives off the
posterior descending artery, which supplies the inferior wall of the left ventricle. RCA occlusion often causes
inferior wall STEMI with associated bradycardia due to SA/AV node ischemia.
QUESTION 11:
