Rate of the ventricles is described in the notes as which bpm range?

• A. 60-100 bpm
• B. 30-40 bpm
• C. 120-160 bpm
• D. 10-20 bpm

Answer: (B)

The main idea is how the heart’s pacing hierarchy works. The SA node normally drives a rate of about 60–100 bpm. If the higher pacing centers aren’t delivering impulses to the ventricles or there’s a block, the ventricles take over with their own slower rhythm. The ventricular tissue’s intrinsic pacing rate is around 20–40 bpm, so an escape rhythm from the ventricles commonly falls in the 30–40 bpm range. That’s why the notes describe the ventricular rate as 30–40 bpm.

So, the 30–40 bpm range fits because it reflects the ventricles’ slower, intrinsic pacing when they act as the primary pacemaker due to lack of input from the upper nodes. The other ranges would indicate normal sinus rhythm (60–100), a fast tachycardia (120–160), or an extremely slow rhythm (10–20) that isn’t the typical ventricular escape pace.