Which term describes premature ventricular contractions?

• A. QT Interval
• B. PVC Premature Ventricular Contractions
• C. SA Node
• D. Segment

Answer: (B)

Premature ventricular contractions describe a beat that starts in the ventricles and occurs earlier than the expected heartbeat. The term used for this phenomenon is Premature Ventricular Contractions, abbreviated as PVC. On an ECG, you’ll see a wide, oddly shaped QRS complex that appears sooner than the regular rhythm, often without a preceding P wave and followed by a brief pause before the next normal beat. This helps distinguish it from other ECG terms: the QT interval is simply a measurement of ventricular depolarization and repolarization duration, SA node is the heart’s natural pacemaker, and a segment is a portion of the ECG tracing. PVCs originate from ventricular tissue and can be benign in many people, though frequent PVCs may warrant further evaluation.