Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Practice Exam

Which leads correspond to the low lateral area in electrocardiography?

1. II, III

2. I, aVL

3. V5, V6

4. aVF, V1

The correct answer is: V5, V6

The leads that correspond to the low lateral area in electrocardiography are V5 and V6. These leads are positioned on the left side of the chest and provide important information about the electrical activity of the heart, particularly the left ventricle, which is located laterally in the chest. V5 and V6 are specifically placed in such a way that they are aligned with the low lateral wall of the left ventricle. As a result, they can detect depolarization and repolarization processes occurring in this area, making them valuable for diagnosing conditions like ischemia or infarction affecting the low lateral region. Therefore, when assessing the electrical activity of the heart, these leads are critical for identifying abnormalities that might arise in the low lateral wall, particularly during stress testing or in the context of a suspected myocardial infarction. In contrast, the other choices represent different regions of the heart and do not primarily focus on the low lateral area: II and III are more representative of the inferior wall, leads I and aVL provide information related to the high lateral area, and aVF alongside V1 contributes to the inferior wall assessment rather than focusing on the lateral aspect. Thus, V5 and V6 are the correct leads to represent the