AMCA EKG COMPREHENSIVE EXAM PREP
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS STUDY GUIDE
●● What is the heart?
Answer: The heart is the muscle responsible for the process by which
blood is pumped throughout the body. The journey begins through two
large veins, the inferior and superior vena cava which returns
deoxygenated blood to the heart. Deoxygenated blood arrives at the right
atrium, also known as the upper right chamber of the heart. The blood
then continues on its way through the tricuspid valve which leads to the
Right Ventricle. Once the right ventricle contracts the blood then flows
towards the pulmonary valve, and finally the pulmonary arteries. The
deoxygenated blood is then transported to the lungs, where the carbon
dioxide is removed from the blood and replaced with oxygen via the
pulmonary alveolar capillary network. After this exchange, the blood
travels back though the pulmonary veins towards the left atrium, the
upper chamber of the heart. After passing through the bicuspid or mitral
valve, the blood enters the Left Ventricle. Once the Left Ventricle
contracts the blood flows through the aortic valve exiting to the aorta
where it is transported throughout the various arteries of the circulatory
system. After this process the blood returns to the heart through various
peripheral veins that lead back to the Superior and Inferior Vena Cava
starting the process over.
●● Pericardium
Answer: The layer or sac that surrounds the heart.
,●● Myocardium
Answer: The middle layer.
●● Endocardium
Answer: The innermost layer.
●● Epicardium
Answer: The top layer.
●● Conduction System of the Heart
Answer: The heart consists of three layers: the pericardium, the
myocardium, the epicardium and the endocardium. Located within the
myocardium is the electrical conduction system. This is the system
responsible for the regulation of the pumping action of the heart, as well
as the conduction of the electrical impulses that causes the myocardium
to contract. Cardiac depolarization and repolarization occur when these
electrical impulses develop and spread through the myocardium. The
rate and rhythm of the heart are controlled by pacemaker cells, an
essential part of the conduction system. These cells, also known as
cardiac muscle cells, can be characterized by any of the following terms:
excitability, conductivity, contractility, and automaticity.
●● How does the conduction system work?
, Answer: The conduction system begins in the sinoatrial (SA) node, or
the pacemaker. Here, the impulse is initiated, and then travels through
the intermodal pathway, passing through several passages such as the
interatrial and interventricular septums, finally ending in the Purkinje
fibers in the ventricular myocardium. Depolarization and repolarization
both occur as the impulse travels through the conduction system,
followed by the contraction, or systole; and relaxation, or diastole of the
myocardium.
●● Myocardial infarction
Answer: Commonly known as a heart attack, is a term that refers to an
obstruction to the myocardial tissue. This obstruction causes an
interruption of the blood supply to part of the heart which causes the
heart cells to die.
●● Myocardial ischemia
Answer: Also known as angina, is a condition caused by a lack of
oxygen-rich blood in the heart.
●● Arrhythmia
Answer: A term used to refer to any disorder of your heart rate or
rhythm.
●● Fundamentals of the Electrocardiogram
Answer: An electrocardiogram, also known as the ECG or EKG, is a
tool used to record the electrical activity of the heart. An
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS STUDY GUIDE
●● What is the heart?
Answer: The heart is the muscle responsible for the process by which
blood is pumped throughout the body. The journey begins through two
large veins, the inferior and superior vena cava which returns
deoxygenated blood to the heart. Deoxygenated blood arrives at the right
atrium, also known as the upper right chamber of the heart. The blood
then continues on its way through the tricuspid valve which leads to the
Right Ventricle. Once the right ventricle contracts the blood then flows
towards the pulmonary valve, and finally the pulmonary arteries. The
deoxygenated blood is then transported to the lungs, where the carbon
dioxide is removed from the blood and replaced with oxygen via the
pulmonary alveolar capillary network. After this exchange, the blood
travels back though the pulmonary veins towards the left atrium, the
upper chamber of the heart. After passing through the bicuspid or mitral
valve, the blood enters the Left Ventricle. Once the Left Ventricle
contracts the blood flows through the aortic valve exiting to the aorta
where it is transported throughout the various arteries of the circulatory
system. After this process the blood returns to the heart through various
peripheral veins that lead back to the Superior and Inferior Vena Cava
starting the process over.
●● Pericardium
Answer: The layer or sac that surrounds the heart.
,●● Myocardium
Answer: The middle layer.
●● Endocardium
Answer: The innermost layer.
●● Epicardium
Answer: The top layer.
●● Conduction System of the Heart
Answer: The heart consists of three layers: the pericardium, the
myocardium, the epicardium and the endocardium. Located within the
myocardium is the electrical conduction system. This is the system
responsible for the regulation of the pumping action of the heart, as well
as the conduction of the electrical impulses that causes the myocardium
to contract. Cardiac depolarization and repolarization occur when these
electrical impulses develop and spread through the myocardium. The
rate and rhythm of the heart are controlled by pacemaker cells, an
essential part of the conduction system. These cells, also known as
cardiac muscle cells, can be characterized by any of the following terms:
excitability, conductivity, contractility, and automaticity.
●● How does the conduction system work?
, Answer: The conduction system begins in the sinoatrial (SA) node, or
the pacemaker. Here, the impulse is initiated, and then travels through
the intermodal pathway, passing through several passages such as the
interatrial and interventricular septums, finally ending in the Purkinje
fibers in the ventricular myocardium. Depolarization and repolarization
both occur as the impulse travels through the conduction system,
followed by the contraction, or systole; and relaxation, or diastole of the
myocardium.
●● Myocardial infarction
Answer: Commonly known as a heart attack, is a term that refers to an
obstruction to the myocardial tissue. This obstruction causes an
interruption of the blood supply to part of the heart which causes the
heart cells to die.
●● Myocardial ischemia
Answer: Also known as angina, is a condition caused by a lack of
oxygen-rich blood in the heart.
●● Arrhythmia
Answer: A term used to refer to any disorder of your heart rate or
rhythm.
●● Fundamentals of the Electrocardiogram
Answer: An electrocardiogram, also known as the ECG or EKG, is a
tool used to record the electrical activity of the heart. An
