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RCIS & RCES Exam Glossary

94 cath lab and EP terms defined for the RCIS and RCES exams — hemodynamics, coronary and conduction-system anatomy, devices, drugs, and interventions. Free, and each term links to its exam guide.

UPDATED 2026-07-21 · 94 TERMS · DRAWN FROM THE CARDIAC CODEX CURRICULUM

This is a working glossary for people preparing for the RCIS (cath lab) and RCES (electrophysiology) credentials. Each entry is written for clinicians — short, exam-relevant, and grounded in the same curriculum that powers the Cardiac Codex app. Prefer to be quizzed? Try the free RCIS and free RCES practice questions.

In-depth guides

Related entries are also brought together, with their diagrams, in three longer guides: RCIS hemodynamics, coronary anatomy for the RCIS, and the conduction system and the EP study.

RCIS — Cath Lab

Cardiac catheterization, hemodynamics, coronary intervention, structural, and peripheral terms.

Cath Lab Anatomy & Hemodynamics

Atrioventricular (AV) Node Bundle Branches Left Anterior Descending (LAD) Artery Left Circumflex (LCX) Artery Left Main Coronary Artery (LMCA) Posterior Descending Artery (PDA) RAO Caudal ("Spider View") Right Coronary Artery (RCA) Sinoatrial (SA) Node Sinuses of Valsalva

Diagnostic Catheterization & Hemodynamics

E/e' Ratio Intracardiac Shunts Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure (LVEDP) Pulmonary Artery Pressure (PAP) Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (PCWP) Right Atrial Pressure (RAP) Right Ventricular Pressure (RVP) Stewart-Hamilton Equation Tricuspid Regurgitation (TR) Z-Point

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Adenosine Calcium Channel Blockers (Verapamil / Diltiazem) Cutting Balloons Epinephrine Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) Scoring Balloons Sodium Nitroprusside Super High-Pressure Balloons Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VA-ECMO)

Structural Interventions & Imaging

18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (18F-FDG-PET) Atherectomy Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) Imaging Ellis Classification of Coronary Perforation Hypoattenuated Leaflet Thickening (HALT) Lithotripsy and Laser MLD-MAX Workflow (OCT) Primary vs. Secondary Mitral Regurgitation (TEER Candidacy)

Peripheral Vascular Intervention

Ankle-brachial index (ABI) Carotid artery stenting Femoropopliteal disease Iliac disease Renal artery intervention Tibial (below-the-knee) disease
RCES — Electrophysiology

EP anatomy, the conduction system, ablation, mapping, and cardiac rhythm devices.

EP Studies & Ablation

Atrioesophageal Fistula Electrophysiology Study (EPS) Entrance Block MANIFEST-17K Registry S-QRS Delay Sinus Node Recovery Time (SNRT) Stimulus Generator Unit (SGU)

Cardiac Rhythm Management

AH Interval Exit Block Impedance Pacing Threshold Transition Zone Triangle of Koch Voltage Mapping

EP Anatomy & the Conduction System

Dual AV Nodal Pathway Physiology Fossa Ovalis Kent Bundle (Accessory Pathway) Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing (LBBAP) Membranous Septum Subclavian Crush Syndrome Vein of Marshall (Ligament of Marshall)

ICD & CRT Therapy

AV and VV delay optimization Defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing Lead extraction MRI-conditional devices and protocols Oversensing and noise Tiered therapy programming

ECG & Rhythm Interpretation

Atrial fibrillation and flutter Heart blocks STEMI mimics Wide-complex tachycardia differentiation WPW / pre-excitation
Shared foundations

Pharmacology, emergencies, and pre- and post-procedural care that apply to both credentials.

Pharmacology

Andexanet alfa Fentanyl Flumazenil Midazolam Nalbuphine Naloxone Protamine sulfate Vaughan-Williams Antiarrhythmic Classification Vitamin K and 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC)

Cath/EP Lab Emergencies

Contrast reactions

Pre-Procedural Care

Allergy and contrast premedication Informed consent NPO status Universal Protocol / time-out

Post-Procedural Care

Arteriovenous fistula Manual compression Pseudoaneurysm Retroperitoneal hematoma Vascular closure devices

From definitions to a full study system

Cardiac Codex pairs this vocabulary with 179 lessons, 2,198 practice questions, four blueprint-matched full-length mock exams, live and timed, and Cardiac Coach — an AI tutor grounded in the curriculum you can ask from any lesson or missed question.

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Written and reviewed by John-Philip (JP) Maarschalk, BSN, RN, CNML — a nurse manager who runs operations for the cardiac cath lab, electrophysiology, and interventional service lines at an academic health system in North Carolina. He hires and develops the staff who sit for these exams. More about JP and how this content is made →
Cardiac Codex is an independent study tool published by MdoubleA LLC, not affiliated with or endorsed by CCI or any certifying body. This glossary is exam-preparation information, not medical advice. Verify current clinical practice against primary sources and institutional protocol.