ECG CPO EXAM STUDY GUIDE LATEST 2026 UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED 100% SOLUTIONS (2026/2027)
GRADE: A+|STATUS: GUARANTEED PASS
How do you distinguish PVC's? - Answers --Wide and bizarre QRS
-T wave will have an opposite deflection of the QRS
What are the causes of PVC's? - Answers --Catecholamine release (fear, exercise, anxiety,
caffeine, alcohol, tobacco)
-CNS stimulants (dopamine, epi, aminophylline, thyroxine, amphetamines, cocaine)
-Cardiac disease
-Electrolyte imbalance
-Hypoxia (COPD)
How do you treat a PVC? - Answers --Consider treatment if they are increasing in frequency or
severity (ie associated with MI, couplets, bigeminy, trigeminy, multifocal, more than 6 in a
minute)
-Treat underlying cause
-Meds: Amiodarone, Mg, Lidocaine
What are the causes of a ventricular escape rhythm? - Answers --MI, myocardial ischemia
-Pacemaker failure
-Metabolic imbalance
-Cardiac meds
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,How do you treat a ventricular escape rhythm? - Answers --Treat cause
-Maintain ventricular rate to produce adequate BP
-Pacing
-Atropine not given because it acts on the atria's and not ventricles (won't work)
-DO NOT give anti-arrhythmic (you will knock out the last working pacemaker)
What are causes of v tach? - Answers --Catecholamine release
-CNS stimulants
-Cardiac disease
-Electrolyte imbalance
-Hypoxia (COPD)
How do you treat stable VT with a pulse? - Answers -Amiodarone 150mg IV bolus / Lidocaine
Procainamide 20-50mg/min (max 17mg/kg)
Consider adenosine (if MRP is confident that it is atrial in nature) 6mg, 12mg?
How do you treat unstable v tach with a pulse? - Answers -Call code blue
Cardioversion
Amiodarone 150mg / lidocaine
Consider adenosine (if atrial in nature)
2|Page
, How do you treat pulseless v tach? - Answers -CPR, defib,
Meds:
Epi 1mg IV/IO Q3-5min bolus
Amiodarone 300mg IV/IO, 150mg IV/IO
Lidocaine 1-1.5mg/kg IV push then 0.5-0.75mg/kg Q3-5min
If defib not immediately available, precordial thump may be considered for patients with
witnessed, monitored, pulseless VT (do not delay CPR and shock therapy though)
What are the causes for Torsades? - Answers -Low potassium
Inherited long QT interval
Drugs that prolong QT interval (quinidine, amiodarone, cisapride)
How do you treat Torsades? - Answers -Defib is unstable
D/c causative meds
Correct hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia
ADMINISTER Mg (1-2mg IV initially in 30-60seconds, this can be repeated in 5-15mins)
What are treatment options for idiopathic v tach? - Answers -BB, CCB, adenosine, verapamil
Cardiology/EP consult
Ablation of the right or left ventricle (success rate of 95%)
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QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED 100% SOLUTIONS (2026/2027)
GRADE: A+|STATUS: GUARANTEED PASS
How do you distinguish PVC's? - Answers --Wide and bizarre QRS
-T wave will have an opposite deflection of the QRS
What are the causes of PVC's? - Answers --Catecholamine release (fear, exercise, anxiety,
caffeine, alcohol, tobacco)
-CNS stimulants (dopamine, epi, aminophylline, thyroxine, amphetamines, cocaine)
-Cardiac disease
-Electrolyte imbalance
-Hypoxia (COPD)
How do you treat a PVC? - Answers --Consider treatment if they are increasing in frequency or
severity (ie associated with MI, couplets, bigeminy, trigeminy, multifocal, more than 6 in a
minute)
-Treat underlying cause
-Meds: Amiodarone, Mg, Lidocaine
What are the causes of a ventricular escape rhythm? - Answers --MI, myocardial ischemia
-Pacemaker failure
-Metabolic imbalance
-Cardiac meds
1|Page
,How do you treat a ventricular escape rhythm? - Answers --Treat cause
-Maintain ventricular rate to produce adequate BP
-Pacing
-Atropine not given because it acts on the atria's and not ventricles (won't work)
-DO NOT give anti-arrhythmic (you will knock out the last working pacemaker)
What are causes of v tach? - Answers --Catecholamine release
-CNS stimulants
-Cardiac disease
-Electrolyte imbalance
-Hypoxia (COPD)
How do you treat stable VT with a pulse? - Answers -Amiodarone 150mg IV bolus / Lidocaine
Procainamide 20-50mg/min (max 17mg/kg)
Consider adenosine (if MRP is confident that it is atrial in nature) 6mg, 12mg?
How do you treat unstable v tach with a pulse? - Answers -Call code blue
Cardioversion
Amiodarone 150mg / lidocaine
Consider adenosine (if atrial in nature)
2|Page
, How do you treat pulseless v tach? - Answers -CPR, defib,
Meds:
Epi 1mg IV/IO Q3-5min bolus
Amiodarone 300mg IV/IO, 150mg IV/IO
Lidocaine 1-1.5mg/kg IV push then 0.5-0.75mg/kg Q3-5min
If defib not immediately available, precordial thump may be considered for patients with
witnessed, monitored, pulseless VT (do not delay CPR and shock therapy though)
What are the causes for Torsades? - Answers -Low potassium
Inherited long QT interval
Drugs that prolong QT interval (quinidine, amiodarone, cisapride)
How do you treat Torsades? - Answers -Defib is unstable
D/c causative meds
Correct hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia
ADMINISTER Mg (1-2mg IV initially in 30-60seconds, this can be repeated in 5-15mins)
What are treatment options for idiopathic v tach? - Answers -BB, CCB, adenosine, verapamil
Cardiology/EP consult
Ablation of the right or left ventricle (success rate of 95%)
3|Page
