Exam Content Outline

Cardiovascular Credentialing International publishes its exam outlines and other important information on its website (www.cci-online.org). Visit the site for complete information about applying for and taking the registry examinations. The outline for each exam indicates the approximate percentage of the exam that a particular topic represents. This information is important because it indicates the relative importance of each topic and allows you to study more effectively. For example, Basic Cardiovascular Anatomy and Physiology is 25% of the exam, whereas the Cardiac Medications is 6%.

The complete outline for the Certified Cardiographic Technician Examination appears below.

Basic Cardiovascular Anatomy and Physiology (25%)
I. Heart         A. Size         B. Location         C. Layers              1. Pericardium              2. Epicardium              3. Myocardium              4. Endocardium         D. Chambers              1. Atrial              2. Ventricular         E. Valves              1. Semilunar              2. Atrioventricular    II. Heart and coronary circulation         A. Blood flow              1. Through the heart              2. Systemic through the body              3. Coronary arterial                   a. Myocardial wall distribution                   b. Ischemihanges                   c. Patterns of injury                   d. Infarction types              4. Right and left oxygen saturations         B. Arteries (major)              1. Systemic              2. Coronary         C. Veins              1. Major systemic              2. Coronary         D. Capillaries         E. Arterioles         F. Venules    III. Physiology         A. Cardiac valve function         B. Pressures              1. Determination of mean pressure              2. Blood pressure                   a. Measurement                   b. Pulse pressure determination              3. Aortic pulse pressure              4. Pressure difference in the right and left heart         C. Cardiac output (relationship to)              1. Heart rate              2. Stroke volume         D. Control mechanisms              1. Blood pressure              2. Cardiac output              3. Peripheral resistance              4. Baroreceptors/chemoreceptors              5. Compliance              6. Preload              7. Afterload              8. Contractility         E. Cardiaycle              1. Relationship to the EKG              2. Relationship to heart sounds              3. Relationship to valve opening and closure         F. Normal values              1. Measurement sites of heart rate              2. Blood pressure    IV. Conduction System         A. Nodes         B. Pathway         C. Blood supply         D. Heart rate              1. Factors affecting heart rate              2. Blood pressure    V. Anatomical terms         A. Definition and position of:              1. Anterior — ventral              2. Posterior — dorsal              3. Superior              4. Inferior              5. Medial              6. Lateral              7. External              8. Internal              9. Superficial              10. Distal              11. Sagittal              12. Peripheral              13. Visceral              14. Parietal              15. Transverse or horizontal              16. Proximal
ECG Techniques and Recognition (30%)
I. Define, identify, measure, explain and analyze:         A. Waveforms              1. P, Q, R, S and T waves              2. Baseline values              3. Normal sinus rhythm         B. ECG Measurement              1. Time              2. Heart rate              3. Voltage              4. Axis/hexaxial system              5. Intervals              6. Segments              7. Complexes              8. Normal and abnormal ST segment    II. ECG leads         A. Bipolar leads         B. Umpolar leads         C. Precordial leads         D. Einthoven's triangle and law    III. ECG, Holter and stress testing instrumentation         A. ECG calibration methods         B. Single channel         C. Three channel         D. Troubleshooting         E. Paper speed    IV. Recognition of recording errors         A. Incorrect standardization         B. Incorrect paper speed         C. Lead reversals         D. Incorrect lead placement    V. Recognition of recording artifacts         A. Electrical interference         B. Somatic tremor         C. Wandering baseline         D. Other causes    VI. Patient and electrical safety hazards of electrical apparatus         A. Common hazards (broken cords, plugs and sockets)         B. Subtle hazards (current leakage)         C. Ground connectors         D. Pacemaker hazards         E. Electrical shock    VII. Distinguish, interpret and describe:         A. Recognition of cardiac arrhythmias              1. Sinus arrhythmias              2. Sinus bradycardia              3. Sinus tachycardia              4. Atrial arrhythmias/PSVT              5. Ventricular arrhythmias              6. AV disassociation/aberration              7. SA blocks/sinus pause              8. Bundle branch block              9. Heart blocks                   a. First degree block                   b. Second degree block                        (1.) Type I                        (2.) Type II              10. Third degree block              11. Cardiac pacemakers              12. Wolff-Parkinson White              13. ST segment and T wave alterations              14. Ambulatory electrocardiography artifacts                   a. Recognition and Interpretation of Normal and                        Abnormal 12 lead Electrocardiogram              15. Myocardial infarction                   a. Injca. Injury                   b. Ischemia
Basic Cardiovascular Electrophysiology (8%)
Define, identify, and explain:    I. Basic electrophysiology         A. Cardiac cycle         B. Electrical conduction system         C. Refractory         D. Transmembrane potential              1. Polarization              2. Depolarization              3. Repolarization         E. Action potential              1. Phase 0              2. Phase 1              3. Phase 2              4. Phase 3              5. Phase 4
Stress Test Techniques Indications and Contraindications (18%)
I. Stress testing         A. Indications         B. Contraindications         C. Protocols              1. Bruce              2. Modified Bruce              3. Naught on         D. Prep techniques         E. Test interpretation         F. Calculation              1. Double product              2. METs         G. Bicycle procedures         H. Thallium/MUGA stress test    II. Interpretation of the exercise ECG    III. Ergometers         A. Arms         B. Leg         C. Treadmill    IV. Pharmacologic         A. Dipyridamole         B. Dobutamine         C. Thallium         D. Cardiolyte
Holter Monitoring (13%)
I. Concepts of Holter monitoring         A. Indications         B. Contraindications         C. Preparation techniques         D. Lead placement         E. Interpretation              1. Recognition of artifact              2. Advanced ECO interpretation
Cardiac Medications (6%)
I. Categories         A. Antihypertensives         B. Nitrates         C. Calcium channel blockers         D. Beta blockers         E. Cardiac olycosides         F. Antiarrhythmics    II. Indications         A. Effect on heart rate         B. Effect on blood pressure         C. Correlation to arrhythmias         D. Routes of administration         E. Emergency cardiac medications              1. Epinephrine              2. Atropine              3. Verapamil              4. Lidocaine              5. Oxygen              6. Isuprel

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