RPSGT Study Guide Questions with Correct Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: RERA
Answer: Respiratory effort-related arousal
Question 2: Score a RERA when
Answer: 1. Breathing for at least 10 seconds shows increasing RIP amplitudes or flattening of the nasal
pressure signal followed by an arousal 2. The event is not an apnea or hypopneas
Question 3: Hypoventilation is scored when
Answer: 1. End-tidal CO2 or transuctaneous CO2 rises 10 mmHG above the level recorded with patient
awake and lying down 2. Low oxygen desaturation is not enough to score hypoventilation
Question 4: Score Cheyne Stokes breathing when
Answer: There are at least 3 cycles of rising and falling breathing amplitude and at least 1 of the following:
1. 5 or more central apneas/hr of sleep 2. The rising and falling pattern lasts at least 10 min
Question 5: EEG Arousal
Answer: -An abrupt shift in EEG frequency, which may include theta, alpha, or frequencies > than 16 HZ
but not spindles, that lasts for 3 or more secs. -Must follow at least 10 secs of sleep -Arousals may be scored
from either central or occipital channels
Question 6: Arousals in REM require an increased in
Answer: Chin tone
Question 7: Physiological changes that may accompany Arousals
Answer: -Increased in EEG frequency -K complex followed by a shift in EEG frequency -Increased in chin
tone -Hypernea -Increase in heart rate -Eye blinks -Evidence of body movement -Electrode popping
Question 8: Hypernea
Answer: Increases in breathing rate or volume
Page 1
,Question 9: Score a hypopnea when(1)
Answer: 1. The nasal pressure amplitude drops by at least 30% of baseline 2. The duration of the drop is at
least 10 secs. 3. There is at least a 4% desaturation 4. At least 90% of the event duration meets the amplitude
criteria
Question 10: Score a hypopnea when (2)
Answer: 1. The nasal pressure amplitude drops by at least 50% of baseline 2. The duration of the drop is at
least 10 secs 3. There is at least a 3% desaturation or an arousal 4. At least 90% of the event duration meets
the amplitude criteria
Question 11: Sino-Atrial Node
Answer: -The dominant pacemaker of the heart -Sends an electrical impulse at regular intervals through the
atria that causes them to depolarize and contract (p-wave)
Question 12: Atrio-Ventricular Node
Answer: -When the electrical impulse reaches the the AV node it is slowed, creating a pause, this pause
allows the ventricles to have enough time to full up with blood (represented by the flat line following the
p-wave)
Question 13: Bundle of HIS and Bundle Branches
Answer: -After being slowed by the AV node, the electrical impulse rapidly moves through the Bundle of
HIS and then splits -The impulse then travels down the left and right bundle branches to the terminal ends of
Purkinje Fibers and causes the ventricular myocardium to depolarize and contract -Represented by the QRS
complex
Question 14: Repolarization
Answer: After a contraction, the heart muscle cells need time to return to their original state in order to
initiate a new contraction, this time required to complete this action is the repolarization phase, represented
by the ST segment and the T wave
Question 15: Arrhythmia
Answer: An abnormal cardiac cycle conduction pattern
Question 16: Causes of arrhythmias
Answer: -Damage to tissues of the conduction system -Replacement of the conduction tissue -Abnormal
levels of electrolytes involved in conduction -Hypoxemia
Page 2
, Question 17: Hypoxemia
Answer: Low oxygen levels
Question 18: Unifocal PVCs
Answer: Originate from a single site
Question 19: Multifocal (multiform) PVCs
Answer: Originate from more than one site and have different shapes
Question 20: Couplets
Answer: 2 consecutive PVCs
Question 21: Bigeminy
Answer: PVC alternating with a normal beat
Question 22: Trigeminy
Answer: PVC occurring every 3rd beat
Question 23: Quadrigeminy
Answer: PVC occurring every 4th beat
Question 24: Atrio-Ventricular Block
Answer: When the pause in conduction at the AV node is longer than usual. This block delays or prevents
conduction from proceeding to the ventricles.
Question 25: 2 to 1 Block; 3 to 1 Block; 4 to 1 Block
Answer: If every other beat is clocked, so that there are 2, 3, or 4 p waves for every QRS complex
Question 26: 1974
Answer: Polysomnography first used as a tern to denote all-night diagnostic sleep studies
Page 3
Question 1: RERA
Answer: Respiratory effort-related arousal
Question 2: Score a RERA when
Answer: 1. Breathing for at least 10 seconds shows increasing RIP amplitudes or flattening of the nasal
pressure signal followed by an arousal 2. The event is not an apnea or hypopneas
Question 3: Hypoventilation is scored when
Answer: 1. End-tidal CO2 or transuctaneous CO2 rises 10 mmHG above the level recorded with patient
awake and lying down 2. Low oxygen desaturation is not enough to score hypoventilation
Question 4: Score Cheyne Stokes breathing when
Answer: There are at least 3 cycles of rising and falling breathing amplitude and at least 1 of the following:
1. 5 or more central apneas/hr of sleep 2. The rising and falling pattern lasts at least 10 min
Question 5: EEG Arousal
Answer: -An abrupt shift in EEG frequency, which may include theta, alpha, or frequencies > than 16 HZ
but not spindles, that lasts for 3 or more secs. -Must follow at least 10 secs of sleep -Arousals may be scored
from either central or occipital channels
Question 6: Arousals in REM require an increased in
Answer: Chin tone
Question 7: Physiological changes that may accompany Arousals
Answer: -Increased in EEG frequency -K complex followed by a shift in EEG frequency -Increased in chin
tone -Hypernea -Increase in heart rate -Eye blinks -Evidence of body movement -Electrode popping
Question 8: Hypernea
Answer: Increases in breathing rate or volume
Page 1
,Question 9: Score a hypopnea when(1)
Answer: 1. The nasal pressure amplitude drops by at least 30% of baseline 2. The duration of the drop is at
least 10 secs. 3. There is at least a 4% desaturation 4. At least 90% of the event duration meets the amplitude
criteria
Question 10: Score a hypopnea when (2)
Answer: 1. The nasal pressure amplitude drops by at least 50% of baseline 2. The duration of the drop is at
least 10 secs 3. There is at least a 3% desaturation or an arousal 4. At least 90% of the event duration meets
the amplitude criteria
Question 11: Sino-Atrial Node
Answer: -The dominant pacemaker of the heart -Sends an electrical impulse at regular intervals through the
atria that causes them to depolarize and contract (p-wave)
Question 12: Atrio-Ventricular Node
Answer: -When the electrical impulse reaches the the AV node it is slowed, creating a pause, this pause
allows the ventricles to have enough time to full up with blood (represented by the flat line following the
p-wave)
Question 13: Bundle of HIS and Bundle Branches
Answer: -After being slowed by the AV node, the electrical impulse rapidly moves through the Bundle of
HIS and then splits -The impulse then travels down the left and right bundle branches to the terminal ends of
Purkinje Fibers and causes the ventricular myocardium to depolarize and contract -Represented by the QRS
complex
Question 14: Repolarization
Answer: After a contraction, the heart muscle cells need time to return to their original state in order to
initiate a new contraction, this time required to complete this action is the repolarization phase, represented
by the ST segment and the T wave
Question 15: Arrhythmia
Answer: An abnormal cardiac cycle conduction pattern
Question 16: Causes of arrhythmias
Answer: -Damage to tissues of the conduction system -Replacement of the conduction tissue -Abnormal
levels of electrolytes involved in conduction -Hypoxemia
Page 2
, Question 17: Hypoxemia
Answer: Low oxygen levels
Question 18: Unifocal PVCs
Answer: Originate from a single site
Question 19: Multifocal (multiform) PVCs
Answer: Originate from more than one site and have different shapes
Question 20: Couplets
Answer: 2 consecutive PVCs
Question 21: Bigeminy
Answer: PVC alternating with a normal beat
Question 22: Trigeminy
Answer: PVC occurring every 3rd beat
Question 23: Quadrigeminy
Answer: PVC occurring every 4th beat
Question 24: Atrio-Ventricular Block
Answer: When the pause in conduction at the AV node is longer than usual. This block delays or prevents
conduction from proceeding to the ventricles.
Question 25: 2 to 1 Block; 3 to 1 Block; 4 to 1 Block
Answer: If every other beat is clocked, so that there are 2, 3, or 4 p waves for every QRS complex
Question 26: 1974
Answer: Polysomnography first used as a tern to denote all-night diagnostic sleep studies
Page 3
