Cardiology TestPrep

JBL Cardiology questions as flashcards, learning mode, and practice tests. Click on hints to access explanations to each question.

The myocardium receives its blood supply from the coronary arteries that branch directly from the:

aorta

Which of the following statements regarding ventricular fibrillation (V-Fib) is correct?

B) In V-Fib, the heart is not pumping any blood and the patient is pulseless.

You have analyzed a cardiac arrest patient's rhythm three times with the AED, separated by 2-minute cycles of CPR, and have received no shock messages each time. You should:

C) continue CPR and transport at once.

The middle, muscular layer of the heart is called the:

C) myocardium.

The maximum pressure generated in the arms and legs during contraction of the left ventricle is called:

C) systolic blood pressure.

In most people, the inferior aspect of the left ventricle receives its blood supply from the:

B) right coronary artery.

Your partner has applied the AED to a cardiac arrest patient and has received a shock advised message. While the AED is charging, you should:

A) continue chest compressions until your partner tells you to stand clear.

After delivering one shock with the AED and performing 2 minutes of CPR on a woman in cardiac arrest, you reanalyze her cardiac rhythm and receive a no shock advised message. This means that:

A) she is not in a shockable rhythm.

A 57-year-old man presents with flu-like symptoms. He is conscious and alert; his skin is pink, warm, and dry; and he denies chest pain or respiratory distress. During your assessment, you cannot feel radial or carotid pulses, and are unable to obtain a blood pressure. Which of the following would MOST likely explain this?

B) He has a left ventricular assist device

The energy setting for a biphasic AED:

B) is manufacturer specific.

The MOST important initial treatment for a patient whose cardiac arrest was witnessed is:

D) high-quality CPR.

When an error occurs while using the AED, it is MOST often the result of:

A) battery failure secondary to operator error.

While assessing a patient with chest pain, you note that his pulse is irregular. This indicates:

D) abnormalities in the heart's electrical conduction system.

Which of the following structures is the primary pacemaker, which sets the normal rate for the heart?

C) Sinoatrial node

A 60-year-old man is in cardiac arrest. You begin CPR while your partner applies the AED. What should you do if you receive a no shock message?

B) Resume CPR, starting with chest compressions.

Which of the following describes the MOST appropriate method of performing chest compressions on an adult patient in cardiac arrest?

A) Compress the chest at least 2 inches, allow full recoil of the chest after each compression, minimize interruptions in chest compressions

During your assessment of a 70-year-old man with crushing chest pain, you note that his blood pressure is 80/50 mm Hg. Your MOST important action should be to:

B) transport without delay.

Following return of spontaneous circulation, the patient remains apneic. The EMT should:

A) ventilate at 10 breaths/min and maintain an oxygen saturation of 92% to 98%.

Sudden cardiac arrest in the adult population MOST often is the result of:

C) a cardiac dysrhythmia.

Which of the following patients is the BEST candidate for fibrinolytic therapy?

A) 50-year-old man who has slurred speech and left arm weakness that started 45 minutes ago; history of a heart attack 8 months ago

A 69-year-old man is unresponsive. He has a weak carotid pulse at 40 beats/min and his skin is cool and pale. From this information, the EMT should conclude that:

B) his cardiac output is reduced.

The AED analyzes your pulseless and apneic patient's cardiac rhythm and advises that a shock is NOT indicated. You should:

B) resume CPR, starting with chest compressions.

When assessing a patient who complains of chest pain, which of the following questions would you ask to assess the "R" in OPQRST?

D) Is the pain in one place or does it move around?

After restoring a pulse in a cardiac arrest patient, you begin immediate transport. While en route to the hospital, the patient goes back into cardiac arrest. You should:

A) advise your partner to stop the ambulance.

After defibrillating a man in cardiac arrest, you resume CPR. As you are about to reanalyze his cardiac rhythm 2 minutes later, your partner tells you she can definitely feel a strong carotid pulse. You should:

B) assess the patient's breathing effort.

A 66-year-old woman presents with an acute onset of confusion, slurred speech, and an inability to move her right arm and leg. Her airway is patent and she is breathing adequately. Which of the following is the MOST important initial information to obtain about this patient?

C) When she was last seen normal

A middle-aged woman took three of her prescribed nitroglycerin tablets after she began experiencing chest pain. She complains of a bad headache and is still experiencing chest pain. You should assume that:

B) she has ongoing cardiac ischemia.

After applying the AED to an adult patient in cardiac arrest, you analyze her cardiac rhythm and receive a shock advised message. Emergency medical responders, who arrived at the scene before you, tell you that bystander CPR was not in progress upon their arrival. You should:

C) deliver the shock as indicated followed immediately by CPR.

Tachycardia can be detrimental to a patient who is experiencing a cardiac problem because it causes:

D) increased cardiac oxygen usage and demand.

An 88-year-old woman experienced a syncopal episode. She is now conscious, but reports dizziness and generalized weakness. Her pulse is 170 beats/min and irregular. The EMT should recognize that this patient's syncope was MOST likely caused by:

A) an acute cardiac dysrhythmia.

Shortly after assisting a 60-year-old woman with her second nitroglycerin treatment, she tells you that she is lightheaded and feels as if she is going to faint. Her symptoms are MOST likely due to:

A) low blood pressure.

Prior to administering nitroglycerin to a patient with chest pain, you should:

B) obtain vital signs to detect hypotension.

A 50-year-old man's implanted defibrillator has fired twice within the last hour. He is conscious and alert and reports a "sore chest." Further assessment reveals that his chest pain is reproducible to palpation and is localized to the area of his implanted defibrillator. Treatment for him should include:

B) prompt transport with continuous monitoring en route.

Switching compressors during two-rescuer CPR:

B) should occur every 2 minutes throughout the arrest.

When assessing a patient who has stroke-like symptoms, you should recall that:

B) the patient may be unable to communicate, but can often understand.

A 65-year-old woman reports severe chest pain that radiates to her back, in between her shoulder blades. She tells you that this is the most severe pain that she has ever experienced, and that it has been intense since it began. Her past medical history includes hypertension. When you palpate her radial pulses, you note that they are unequal in strength. What should you suspect?

A) Acute aortic dissection

A 58-year-old man is found unresponsive by his wife. According to his wife, he was complaining of a "dull ache" in his chest the day before, but refused to allow her to call 911. His blood pressure is 70/50 mm Hg, his pulse is 120 beats/min and weak, and his respirations are 28 breaths/min and labored. Further assessment reveals that his skin is cool, pale, and clammy. You should suspect:

A) cardiogenic shock.

A 50-year-old man with a history of hypertension began experiencing chest pressure while mowing his lawn. After taking a baby aspirin and resting for approximately 10 minutes, the pressure in his chest completely resolved. Which of the following would BEST explain this?

B) The cessation of exertion decreased the workload of the heart and blood flow to the myocardium improved.

A 67-year-old woman presents with acute weakness and nausea. She is conscious and alert and her skin is cool and clammy. Her BP is 140/88 mm Hg, pulse is 70 beats/min and regular, and respirations are 16 breaths/min and unlabored. Her medical history includes hypertension and diabetes, and she advises that she has an implanted pacemaker. What should you suspect?

D) Acute myocardial infarction

When applying the ECG electrodes, the negative (white) lead is placed on the:

B) right arm.

A 44-year-old man reports dizziness and light-headedness. His BP is 88/62 mm Hg; his heart rate is 190 beats/min and weak; and his skin is cool, clammy, and pale. Which of the following would BEST explain why his BP is low?

B) Decreased ventricular filling time

Which of the following statements regarding one-rescuer CPR is correct?

D) The chest should be allowed to fully recoil after each compression.

After attaching the AED and pushing the analyze button on an adult patient in cardiac arrest, the AED states that a shock is advised. Which cardiac rhythm is the patient MOST likely in?

B) Ventricular fibrillation

Treatment for a patient with congestive heart failure and shortness of breath may include:

D) up to three doses of sublingual nitroglycerin.

How can you help maximize cardiac output during CPR?

D) Allow the chest to fully recoil in between compressions