Patient Care Technician (PCT) AAH Practice Exam

Tall, peaked T waves on the ECG are most commonly associated with which condition?

1. Hypokalemia

2. Hyperkalemia

3. Myocardial infarction

4. Atrial fibrillation

The correct answer is: Hyperkalemia

Tall, peaked T waves on an electrocardiogram (ECG) are primarily associated with hyperkalemia, which is a condition characterized by elevated levels of potassium in the blood. In hyperkalemia, the excess potassium affects the cardiac action potential, leading to changes in the electrical activity of the heart. The peaked T waves result from alterations in the myocardial repolarization process, indicating that the heart is responding to the higher levels of potassium. In contrast, other conditions such as hypokalemia may present with flattened T waves or U waves, indicating low potassium levels rather than high. Myocardial infarction often leads to both ST segment changes and T wave inversions but does not typically present with peaked T waves alone. Atrial fibrillation is characterized by an irregularly irregular rhythm without distinct T wave changes tied directly to the arrhythmia itself. Thus, the presence of tall, peaked T waves is a strong indicator of hyperkalemia, making it the correct association in this context.