Prepare for the Cleveland Clinic EKG Test with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Gain insights with hints and explanations. Ace your exam today!

Multiple Choice

Three consecutive PVCs forming a short run are called what?

Three consecutive PVCs in a row form a PVC triplet. The idea is to recognize how premature ventricular contractions group together: two in a row is a couplet, three in a row is a triplet, PVCs every other beat describe bigeminy, and PVCs on every third beat describe trigeminy. A triplet is simply a short run of three consecutive ventricular ectopic beats, distinct from trigeminy (which spreads PVCs out so you see one every third beat) and from bigeminy and a couplet. If that run lasts longer than a brief moment (three or more consecutive PVCs lasting enough to be timed as ventricular tachycardia criteria), it may be referred to as nonsustained ventricular tachycardia.

Three consecutive PVCs in a row form a PVC triplet. The idea is to recognize how premature ventricular contractions group together: two in a row is a couplet, three in a row is a triplet, PVCs every other beat describe bigeminy, and PVCs on every third beat describe trigeminy. A triplet is simply a short run of three consecutive ventricular ectopic beats, distinct from trigeminy (which spreads PVCs out so you see one every third beat) and from bigeminy and a couplet. If that run lasts longer than a brief moment (three or more consecutive PVCs lasting enough to be timed as ventricular tachycardia criteria), it may be referred to as nonsustained ventricular tachycardia.