CET Practice Questions (2026) — Free Sample Questions with Answers

Answer: D

Remove the monitor at bedtime and reattach it in the morning: A Holter records continuously for the full period; removing it overnight loses data, including nocturnal arrhythmias.

Rest in bed as much as possible while wearing the monitor: The goal is to capture rhythms during usual daily activities, so the patient should follow a normal routine.

Shower normally, because the electrodes are waterproof: Holter recorders and electrodes must be kept dry; patients are told not to shower or bathe while wearing most units.

Record activities and symptoms with their times in a diary: Correct. The diary lets the interpreter match symptoms (palpitations, dizziness) and activities to the recorded rhythm at that time.

Holter: wear continuously, keep it dry, carry on normal activities, and log activities and symptoms with times.

Answer: A

Call for help, start chest compressions and get an AED: Correct. Unresponsive, no normal breathing and no pulse means cardiac arrest: activate the emergency response (code), begin high-quality CPR starting with compressions, and use an AED as soon as available.

Finish recording the 12-lead so the provider can read it: Completing the tracing delays CPR; every minute without compressions and defibrillation lowers survival.

Give two rescue breaths and recheck the pulse in 2 minutes: Adult BLS for a pulseless patient starts with compressions (C-A-B), not breaths followed by a long pause.

Place him in the recovery position and monitor his breathing: The recovery position is for an unresponsive patient who is breathing normally with a pulse, not for cardiac arrest.

No pulse + no normal breathing = cardiac arrest: call a code, start compressions immediately, attach the AED.

Answer: A

AC (60-cycle) electrical interference: Correct. Alternating-current interference from nearby equipment or poor grounding produces a regular, fine, uniform 'fuzzy' baseline; unplug nearby devices and check cables and grounding.

Somatic tremor from muscle movement: Somatic artifact is irregular and varies with muscle activity (shivering, tremor); it does not form evenly spaced uniform spikes in a relaxed patient.

Wandering baseline from breathing: Wandering baseline is a slow up-and-down drift of the whole tracing, usually with respiration, not fine high-frequency spikes.

A completely detached lead wire: A disconnected lead usually produces a flat line or erratic signal in the affected leads, not a regular fuzz in all leads.

Regular fine fuzz = AC interference; irregular jitter = somatic tremor; slow drift = wandering baseline; flat or erratic line = lead problem.

Answer: A

Fourth intercostal space, right sternal border: Correct. V1 is placed in the 4th intercostal space just right of the sternum; V2 is in the same space at the left sternal border.

Fourth intercostal space, left sternal border: This is the V2 position; V1 is its mirror on the right side of the sternum.

Fifth intercostal space, left midclavicular line: This is the V4 position, used as the landmark for V3, V5 and V6.

Second intercostal space, right sternal border: Placing precordial leads too high (2nd ICS) is a common error that alters R-wave progression and can mimic pathology.

V1 4th ICS right sternal border; V2 4th ICS left sternal border; V4 5th ICS left MCL; V3 midway between V2 and V4.

Answer: D

Atrial flutter: Atrial flutter shows regular sawtooth flutter waves, and the ventricular rhythm is often regular (e.g., 2:1 or 4:1 conduction).

Ventricular tachycardia: Ventricular tachycardia has wide QRS complexes (0.12 sec or more) and is usually regular.

Sinus arrhythmia: Sinus arrhythmia has a normal P wave before every QRS; its irregularity follows the breathing cycle.

Atrial fibrillation: Correct. Irregularly irregular R-R intervals, no discernible P waves and a chaotic fibrillatory baseline with narrow QRS complexes are the hallmarks of atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation: irregularly irregular, no P waves, fibrillatory baseline. Atrial flutter: sawtooth waves, often regular.

Answer: B

50 beats per minute: 50/min would correspond to 30 small boxes (1500 ÷ 30) or 6 large boxes between R waves.

60 beats per minute: Correct. Using the 1500 method: 1500 ÷ 25 small boxes = 60 beats/min (equivalently, 5 large boxes: 300 ÷ 5 = 60).

75 beats per minute: 75/min corresponds to 20 small boxes (1500 ÷ 20) or 4 large boxes.

120 beats per minute: 120/min corresponds to 12.5 small boxes; this answer roughly doubles the true rate.

Regular rhythms: rate = 1500 ÷ small boxes or 300 ÷ large boxes between R waves; irregular rhythms: QRS count in 6 seconds × 10.