Certified EKG Technician (CET) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In the context of EKG monitoring, if a patient presents with a significantly high heart rate, one important adjustment may be to change the speed of the EKG machine. This is typically done to ensure that the EKG tracings can accurately represent the electrical activity of the heart. A high heart rate can lead to closely spaced R-R intervals, and if the EKG paper speed is set too slow (usually 25 mm/sec), the waveforms may become compressed and difficult to read. Increasing the speed (to, for example, 50 mm/sec or more) allows for better visualization of the rapid rhythms, making it easier to interpret the underlying cardiac activity and any potential arrhythmias.

While other factors like electrode placement, type of leads used, and the patient's position can influence the quality of the EKG, they do not specifically address the issue of reading a high heart rate effectively. Proper management of the speed ensures that the clinician can accurately assess the rhythm and make appropriate decisions based on the EKG findings.