Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Exam Practice Question
A medical assistant has performed an EKG on a patient with a regular heart rate of 180/min. The assistant should identify that the patient might be experiencing which of the following arrhythmias?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In this scenario, a heart rate of 180 beats per minute indicates a rapid heartbeat, which is classified as tachycardia.
Option A, atrial flutter, typically presents with a specific pattern on an EKG, often characterized by a "sawtooth" appearance, and while it can lead to tachycardia, it is not directly defined by the heart rate alone.
Option C, bradycardia, refers to a slower heart rate, typically below 60 beats per minute, making it inconsistent with the presented rate.
Option D, ventricular fibrillation, is a chaotic heart rhythm that is life-threatening and usually presents with no effective heartbeat, which is not applicable here.
Thus, tachycardia is the most accurate identification of the patient's condition.
Unlock All Questions
Subscribe to Premium for full access to all practice questions, detailed rationales, and performance tracking.
Subscribe Now