Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Practice Exam

What type of tachycardia is often described as reentrant supraventricular tachycardia?

1. Second degree AV block Type 1 Wenckebach

2. Second degree AV block Mobitz Type 2

3. Atrial flutter

4. Asystole

The correct answer is: Atrial flutter

Reentrant supraventricular tachycardia refers to a rapid heart rhythm originating above the ventricles, typically involving reentry circuits around an obstacle, such as a block of conduction in the atria or AV node. Atrial flutter is a type of reentrant tachycardia characterized by a rapid and regular atrial rate, often producing a sawtooth pattern seen on an ECG, commonly referred to as "F-waves." In this context, atrial flutter fits the description of reentrant supraventricular tachycardia because the arrhythmia results from a reentrant circuit within the atria. It is distinct from other arrhythmias listed, such as different types of AV blocks or asystole, which do not involve this mechanism. Second-degree AV blocks, whether Type 1 or Type 2, are interruptions in AV conduction and do not describe a rapid heart rhythm; rather, they represent slower, irregular heartbeats. Asystole indicates a complete lack of electrical activity and is not a type of tachycardia at all. Thus, the description of reentrant supraventricular tachycardia aligns perfectly with atrial flutter, confirming it as the correct choice in this scenario.