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For a standard 12-lead EKG, which three leads should be placed at the same horizontal level?

  1. Leads V1, V4, V6

  2. Leads I, II, III

  3. Leads V4, V5, V6

  4. Leads aVR, aVL, aVF

The correct answer is: Leads V4, V5, V6

In a standard 12-lead EKG, leads V4, V5, and V6 should all be placed at the same horizontal level on the chest. This positioning is crucial for accurately interpreting the heart's electrical activity, particularly in the anterior and lateral regions of the heart. When these leads are aligned horizontally, it allows for a clearer comparison of the electrical signals, promoting better detection of abnormalities in these areas. Leads V4, V5, and V6 are specifically designed to monitor the left ventricle and thus should be positioned equally to ensure that the heart's electrical activity is recorded consistently across these important leads. Proper placement at the same horizontal level helps to avoid discrepancies in the waveform and improves the overall quality of the EKG reading. In contrast, the other lead groupings do not require the same horizontal alignment for optimal data collection and may serve different spatial purposes within the EKG configuration.