NHCO Certified Electrocardiogram Technician (CET) Review

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts related to electrocardiograms and EKG technician responsibilities, providing a comprehensive review for exam preparation.

Electrocardiogram (EKG)

A test that records the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time.

Willem Einthoven

The person credited with inventing the electrocardiogram.

ECG machine

A device that provides information about the heart's rate, rhythm, and electrical activity.

Blood pressure

Measures the systolic and diastolic pressures of the heart.

Congestive Heart Failure

A condition that may prompt a physician to order an EKG.

SA node

The structure that initiates the heartbeat.

QRS complex

Waveform that represents ventricular depolarization.

AV node

Important for delaying the impulse to allow atria to fill ventricles.

Normal sinus rhythm

Regular heart rhythm with a rate between 60-100 bpm.

BMI

Body Mass Index, not measured by an ECG machine.

Ventricular fibrillation

Life-threatening rhythm characterized by chaotic electrical activity in the ventricles.

Tachycardia

A heart rate above 100 bpm.

10 electrodes

Number of electrodes used for a 12-lead ECG.

Holter monitor

A device that records heart activity over an extended period.

Einthoven's triangle

The triangular configuration of the limb leads in ECG.

Artifacts

Distortions in an ECG caused by movement, poor electrode contact, or electrical interference.

P wave

Wave that represents atrial depolarization.

T wave

Wave that represents ventricular repolarization.

Systolic pressure

The pressure during heart contraction.

Diastolic pressure

The pressure during heart relaxation.