Patient Care Technician (PCT) AAH Practice Exam

What does a wider QRS complex typically indicate?

1. Normal conduction

2. Altered conduction

3. Bradycardia

4. Hyperventilation

The correct answer is: Altered conduction

A wider QRS complex typically indicates altered conduction through the ventricles of the heart. In a normal heart rhythm, the QRS complex, which represents ventricular depolarization, is usually narrow, reflecting effective and rapid conduction of electrical impulses through the heart's conduction system. When the QRS complex is wider than normal, this can signal several underlying issues, such as a block in the conduction pathways (e.g., bundle branch block), electrolyte imbalances, or other cardiac conditions that disrupt normal electrical impulse transmission. Wider QRS complexes can also arise in situations where the electrical impulses are taking longer to spread through the ventricles, indicating that the impulses are being conducted through abnormal pathways or that there may be an underlying disease process affecting the heart's conduction system. Understanding this information is crucial for patient care technicians, as recognizing changes in the QRS complex can help in identifying potential cardiac problems that may require further assessment or intervention.