RELIAS DYSRHYTHMIA BASIC B EXAM | STUDY
GUIDE | VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
CARDIAC RHYTHM INTERPRETATION | A+
GUARANTEED
1. A rhythm strip shows regular R-R intervals at a rate of 75 beats/min. Each P
wave is upright and uniform, and each P wave is followed by one QRS
complex. The PR interval is 0.16 seconds and QRS is 0.08 seconds. What is
the rhythm?
A) Sinus bradycardia
B) Normal sinus rhythm
C) Sinus tachycardia
D) First-degree AV block
Correct Answer: B
Normal sinus rhythm has a rate of 60–100 beats/min, regular rhythm, upright
uniform P waves before each QRS, PR interval 0.12–0.20 seconds, and QRS less
than 0.12 seconds. The rate of 75 is within normal limits, PR and QRS are normal,
making this normal sinus rhythm. First-degree AV block would have a PR interval
greater than 0.20 seconds.
2. A patient has a regular rhythm at 45 beats/min. P waves are upright and
present before every QRS, PR interval 0.14 seconds, QRS 0.08 seconds.
What is the rhythm?
A) Sinus bradycardia
B) Normal sinus rhythm
C) Junctional rhythm
D) Sinus arrest
Correct Answer: A
Sinus bradycardia has all the features of sinus rhythm but with a rate less than 60
beats/min. The regular rate of 45 with normal P wave morphology and PR interval
,indicates sinus bradycardia, not normal sinus rhythm. Junctional rhythm typically
lacks upright P waves or has inverted P waves before or after the QRS.
3. A patient has a regular rhythm at 110 beats/min. P waves are upright and
present before each QRS, PR interval 0.14 seconds, QRS 0.08 seconds. What
is the rhythm?
A) Normal sinus rhythm
B) Sinus bradycardia
C) Sinus tachycardia
D) Atrial tachycardia
Correct Answer: C
Sinus tachycardia has a rate greater than 100 beats/min with otherwise normal
sinus P waves, PR, and QRS. A rate of 110 with normal sinus morphology is sinus
tachycardia. Normal sinus rhythm is 60–100 beats/min; sinus bradycardia is less
than 60. Atrial tachycardia may have abnormal P wave morphology.
4. A rhythm strip shows no visible P waves, irregular R-R intervals, and a
ventricular rate of 80 beats/min. QRS complexes are 0.08 seconds. What is
the most likely rhythm?
A) Atrial fibrillation
B) Atrial flutter
C) Sinus arrhythmia
D) Junctional rhythm
Correct Answer: A
Atrial fibrillation is characterized by chaotic atrial activity with no discernible P
waves and an irregularly irregular ventricular response. Atrial flutter typically has
a sawtooth flutter wave pattern, often regular. Sinus arrhythmia has visible P
waves with irregular rhythm, and junctional rhythm is usually regular with absent
or inverted P waves.
5. A patient has a regular rhythm at 150 beats/min. P waves are difficult to
identify because they are buried in the preceding T waves. QRS is 0.08
seconds. What is the likely rhythm?
, A) Sinus tachycardia
B) Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
C) Atrial flutter
D) Ventricular tachycardia
Correct Answer: B
SVT is a regular narrow-complex tachycardia with a rate usually greater than 150
beats/min; P waves may be hidden in T waves. Sinus tachycardia usually has
visible P waves and a rate 100–180, but SVT is the best answer when P waves are
not identifiable. Atrial flutter has a sawtooth pattern; ventricular tachycardia has
wide QRS.
6. A rhythm strip shows a sawtooth pattern of atrial activity at 300 beats/min.
The ventricular rate is 75 beats/min with regular R-R intervals and narrow
QRS. What is the rhythm?
A) Atrial fibrillation
B) Atrial flutter
C) Atrial tachycardia
D) Sinus rhythm with first-degree AV block
Correct Answer: B
Atrial flutter has a classic sawtooth flutter wave pattern, usually at 250–350
beats/min. The ventricular rate may be a fraction of the atrial rate due to AV
block, commonly 2:1 or 4:1, giving a regular ventricular response of 75 if atrial is
300 and block is 4:1. Atrial fibrillation has no discrete flutter waves; atrial
tachycardia has discrete P waves at a regular rate; first-degree block has normal P
waves with prolonged PR.
7. A patient is in atrial fibrillation with a ventricular rate of 160 beats/min.
What is the priority nursing action?
A) Administer atropine
B) Prepare for synchronized cardioversion if unstable
C) Administer epinephrine
D) Observe and do nothing
GUIDE | VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
CARDIAC RHYTHM INTERPRETATION | A+
GUARANTEED
1. A rhythm strip shows regular R-R intervals at a rate of 75 beats/min. Each P
wave is upright and uniform, and each P wave is followed by one QRS
complex. The PR interval is 0.16 seconds and QRS is 0.08 seconds. What is
the rhythm?
A) Sinus bradycardia
B) Normal sinus rhythm
C) Sinus tachycardia
D) First-degree AV block
Correct Answer: B
Normal sinus rhythm has a rate of 60–100 beats/min, regular rhythm, upright
uniform P waves before each QRS, PR interval 0.12–0.20 seconds, and QRS less
than 0.12 seconds. The rate of 75 is within normal limits, PR and QRS are normal,
making this normal sinus rhythm. First-degree AV block would have a PR interval
greater than 0.20 seconds.
2. A patient has a regular rhythm at 45 beats/min. P waves are upright and
present before every QRS, PR interval 0.14 seconds, QRS 0.08 seconds.
What is the rhythm?
A) Sinus bradycardia
B) Normal sinus rhythm
C) Junctional rhythm
D) Sinus arrest
Correct Answer: A
Sinus bradycardia has all the features of sinus rhythm but with a rate less than 60
beats/min. The regular rate of 45 with normal P wave morphology and PR interval
,indicates sinus bradycardia, not normal sinus rhythm. Junctional rhythm typically
lacks upright P waves or has inverted P waves before or after the QRS.
3. A patient has a regular rhythm at 110 beats/min. P waves are upright and
present before each QRS, PR interval 0.14 seconds, QRS 0.08 seconds. What
is the rhythm?
A) Normal sinus rhythm
B) Sinus bradycardia
C) Sinus tachycardia
D) Atrial tachycardia
Correct Answer: C
Sinus tachycardia has a rate greater than 100 beats/min with otherwise normal
sinus P waves, PR, and QRS. A rate of 110 with normal sinus morphology is sinus
tachycardia. Normal sinus rhythm is 60–100 beats/min; sinus bradycardia is less
than 60. Atrial tachycardia may have abnormal P wave morphology.
4. A rhythm strip shows no visible P waves, irregular R-R intervals, and a
ventricular rate of 80 beats/min. QRS complexes are 0.08 seconds. What is
the most likely rhythm?
A) Atrial fibrillation
B) Atrial flutter
C) Sinus arrhythmia
D) Junctional rhythm
Correct Answer: A
Atrial fibrillation is characterized by chaotic atrial activity with no discernible P
waves and an irregularly irregular ventricular response. Atrial flutter typically has
a sawtooth flutter wave pattern, often regular. Sinus arrhythmia has visible P
waves with irregular rhythm, and junctional rhythm is usually regular with absent
or inverted P waves.
5. A patient has a regular rhythm at 150 beats/min. P waves are difficult to
identify because they are buried in the preceding T waves. QRS is 0.08
seconds. What is the likely rhythm?
, A) Sinus tachycardia
B) Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
C) Atrial flutter
D) Ventricular tachycardia
Correct Answer: B
SVT is a regular narrow-complex tachycardia with a rate usually greater than 150
beats/min; P waves may be hidden in T waves. Sinus tachycardia usually has
visible P waves and a rate 100–180, but SVT is the best answer when P waves are
not identifiable. Atrial flutter has a sawtooth pattern; ventricular tachycardia has
wide QRS.
6. A rhythm strip shows a sawtooth pattern of atrial activity at 300 beats/min.
The ventricular rate is 75 beats/min with regular R-R intervals and narrow
QRS. What is the rhythm?
A) Atrial fibrillation
B) Atrial flutter
C) Atrial tachycardia
D) Sinus rhythm with first-degree AV block
Correct Answer: B
Atrial flutter has a classic sawtooth flutter wave pattern, usually at 250–350
beats/min. The ventricular rate may be a fraction of the atrial rate due to AV
block, commonly 2:1 or 4:1, giving a regular ventricular response of 75 if atrial is
300 and block is 4:1. Atrial fibrillation has no discrete flutter waves; atrial
tachycardia has discrete P waves at a regular rate; first-degree block has normal P
waves with prolonged PR.
7. A patient is in atrial fibrillation with a ventricular rate of 160 beats/min.
What is the priority nursing action?
A) Administer atropine
B) Prepare for synchronized cardioversion if unstable
C) Administer epinephrine
D) Observe and do nothing
