SAEM Cardiovascular Practice Test 2025 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Mastering SAEM CV Exams!

A short PR interval combined with a slurred QRS complex is a characteristic finding in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. This condition is caused by an accessory pathway that allows electrical impulses to bypass the normal conduction system of the heart, leading to a pre-excitation.

The short PR interval indicates that the impulse depolarizes the ventricles sooner than expected, while the slurred part of the QRS complex—often referred to as a "delta wave"—is a result of this pre-excitation through the accessory pathway. These EKG findings are specific to WPW syndrome and help in differentiating it from other arrhythmias.

While other options might represent different cardiac conditions, they do not specifically indicate WPW syndrome. For instance, ST-segment elevation can suggest myocardial infarction, inverted T-waves may signify ischemia or other conditions, and elevated Troponin I levels typically indicate myocardial injury. None of these features point towards WPW syndrome, making the short PR interval and slurred QRS the definitive markers for this particular electrical conduction issue.