Chapter Review

  1. Junctional escape complexes and junctional rhythms are typically a normal response to the SA node failing its function as the primary pacemaker. True or False.

  2. Junctional rhythms are of critical importance in maintaining _____ and _____ during a failure of an SA nodal or atrial pacemaker. (Please pick the correct answers to the statement above.)

A. Atrial response

B. Ventricular response

C. Atrial kick

D. Hemodynamic stability

  3. Electrocardiographically, junctional rhythms have the following characteristics:

A. Inverted, buried P wave

B. Absence of P wave

C. Narrow supraventricular complex

D. Regular rate between 40 and 60 BPM

E. All of the above

  4. Junctional rhythms are typically formed as _________ rhythms.

  5. Junctional rhythms are typically greater than 60 BPM but less than 100 BPM. True or False.

  6. A wandering, random baseline is always a sign of atrial fibrillation with a regular response. True or False.

  7. Part of the differential diagnosis for a randomly erratic baseline with a regular supraventricular response between 40 and 60 BPM is atrial fibrillation with complete AV block and a junctional escape rhythm. True or False.

  8. Junctional rhythms are always benign. True or False.

  9. ________ is a drug that is frequently associated with a regularization of atrial fibrillation mimicking a junctional rhythm.

10. Possible causes of a junctional rhythm include:

A. Myocardial ischemia

B. CNS events

C. Electrolyte abnormalities

D. Sick sinus syndrome

E. All of the above