EKG and Cardiovascular Testing — practice questions
4% of the exam ≈6 real questions 6 free questions here
6 scored items — small, but almost entirely memorization. Lead placement, standard calibration, what each waveform represents, and which artifacts come from which cause.
Where people lose points
- Precordial leads are placed by anatomical landmark, not by eye. V1 and V2 sit at the fourth intercostal space, V4 at the fifth midclavicular — and V3 goes between V2 and V4, so V4 must be placed before V3.
- Standard settings are 25 mm/sec paper speed and 10 mm/mV calibration. A question describing an unusually tall or wide tracing is usually testing whether you check calibration first.
- Artifacts have distinct signatures: a wandering baseline suggests movement or loose electrodes, fine irregular spikes suggest muscle tremor, and uniform fine oscillation suggests AC interference.
- A medical assistant records the tracing and reports it. Interpreting a rhythm for the patient is outside scope — but recognizing lethal rhythms that need immediate escalation is expected.
- Skin preparation is part of the procedure, not optional. Oil, lotion and hair prevent good electrode contact and produce artifact.
Drill: EKG and Cardiovascular Testing
6 free questions from this domain, each with an explanation and a cited source. Timed at real exam pace.
6 questions
Pass line: 78%, same as the real exam
See the answer and explanation right after each question.