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128 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Abdominal Aortic Aneruysm |
A localized dilation of the wall of the abdominal aorta |
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Aberration |
Refers to the abnormal conduction of impulses through cardiac conduction pathways |
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Absolute Refactory Period |
The portion of the action potential during which the membrane is insensitive to all stimuli regardless of strength |
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Accelerated Juntional Rhythm |
A dsyrhythmia that results from increased automacity of the atrioventricular junction |
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Acute Arterial Occlusion |
A sudden blockage of arterial flow, most commonl yis caused by trauma, embolus, or thrombosis |
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Acute Coronary Syndrome |
A spectrum of clinical disease that include AMI and unstable angina |
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Acute Deep Vein Thrombosis |
Occlusion of a vessel by a thrombus in any porion of the deep venous system |
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Acute Dissecting Aortic Aneurysm |
Seperationi of the arterial wall of the aorta |
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Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) |
The sudden interruption of blood suuply to the heart, resulting in death of cardiac tissue |
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Afterload |
The total resistance against which blood must be pumped. Also known as peripheral vascular resisance |
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Algorithms |
Lists used to summarize information, such as prehopsital and in-hospital management recommendations |
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Amyloidosis |
A condition that results from deposits of abnormal protein in heart tissue |
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Amyloidosis |
A condition that results from deposits of abnormal protein in heart tissue |
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Aneurysm |
A localized dilation of a wall of a blood vessel |
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Angina Pectoris |
Ischemic chest pain most often caused by myocardial anoxia as a result of atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries |
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Angioplasty |
Repair of damaged vessels |
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Anterior Hemiblock |
Failure in conduction of the cardiac impluse in the anterior division of the left bundle branch |
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Artifact |
A deflection on the electrocardiogram (EKG) display or tracing produced by factors other than the electrical activity of the heart |
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Artifical Pacemaker |
A rhythm that is generated by regular electrical stimulation of the heart through an electrode implanted in the heart |
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Asystole |
A life-threatening cardiac condition characaterized by the absences of elctrical and mechanical activity of the heart. |
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Atherosclerosis |
A common arterial disorder characterized by yellowish plaques of cholosterol, lipids, and cellular debris in the inner laers of the walls of large and medium sized arteries |
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Atrial Fibrilation |
A dysrrhythmia that results from multiple areas of reentry within the atria or from an ectopic atrial pacemaker |
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Atrial Flutter |
A dysrhythmia that usually results rom rapid atrial reentry of electrical impulses |
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Atrial Kick |
The priming force contributed by atrial contraction immediately before ventricular systole that acts to increase the efficiency of ventricular ejection due to acutely increased preload |
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Atrial Tachycardia |
A rhythm disturbance that arises from an irritable site in the atria, producing tachycardia |
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Atrioventricular Dissociation |
A conduction disturbance in which atrial and venricular contractions occur rhythmically but are unrelated to each other |
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Atrioventricular Node |
An area of specilaized cardiac muscle that recieves the cardiac impluse from the sinoatrial node and conducts it to the bundle of His |
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Antrioventricular Junction |
An area formed by the AV node and the bundle of His; serves as the only electrical link between the atria and ventricules in a normal heart |
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Augmented Limb Leads |
Unipolar leads that record the difference in electrical potential in cardiac muscle |
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Automacity |
A property of specialized excitable tissue that allows self-activation through spontaneous development of an action potential |
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AV Nodal Reentry Tachycardia |
A type of reenty supraventricular tachycardia, usually caused y a premature atrial contraction |
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AV Reenty Tachycardia |
A type of reenty supraventicular tachycardia; results from a reenty circuit in the AVnode by way of congenital accessory pathways in the heart muscle |
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Axis |
The imaginary straight line that joins the positive and negative electrodes of each ECG lead |
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Bifascicular Block |
Referes to the blockage of two of three pathways (fascicles) for ventricular conduction |
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Bipolar Lead |
A lead composed of two electrodes of opposite polarity |
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Bradycardia |
A heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute |
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Bruit |
An abnormal sound or murmur heard while ausculrtery and artery, organ, or gland |
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Bundle of His |
A band of fibers in the myocardium through which the cardiac impulse is transmitted from the atrioventricular node to the ventricles |
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Bundle of Kent |
Fibers that connect atrial muscle to ventricular muscle, bypassing the AV node; also known as Kent fibers |
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Cannon A Waves |
Waves of pulse pressure that are visible in the jugular veins of a patient in ventricular tachycardia |
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Cardiac Ejection Fraction |
The percentage of ventricular blood volume released during a contraction |
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Cardiac Ejection Fraction |
The percentage of ventricular blood volume released during a contraction |
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Cardiogenic Shock |
Shock that results when cardiac action is unable to deliver sufficient circulating blood volume for tissue perfusion |
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Cardiomyopathy |
Any disease that affects the myocardium |
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Coarse Ventricular Fibrillation |
Fibrillatory waves that are greater than 3 mm in amplitude |
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Compensatory Pause |
A pause following a premature beat; confirmed by measuring the interval between the R wave before the premature ventricular complex and the R wave after it |
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Congestive Heart Failure |
An abnormal condition that reflects impaired cardiac pumping, usually a result of myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease or cardiomyopathy |
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Contguous Leads |
Two or more ECG leads that are anatomically close together and that cover the same general area of the heart; specifically, the walls of the left ventricle |
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Delta Wave |
A slurring or notching of the onset of the QRS complex that is a diagnostic finding in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome |
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Defibrillation |
The delivery of electrical current through the chest wall; used to terminate ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia |
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Depolarization |
A change in electrical charge difference across the cell membrane that causes the difference to be smaller or closer to 0 mV; a phase of the action potential in which the membrane potential moves toward zero or becomes positive |
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Modified Chest Leads |
Placement of the standard limb leads of an ECG that are altered to mimic the precordial leads. |
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Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia |
Ventricular tachycardia where the QRS complex has the same morphology or fixed shape |
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Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia |
A dysrhythmia that resembles wandering pacemaker but is associated with rates often in the 120-150 bpm range |
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Multifocal Premature Ventricular Complex |
A premature ventricular complex that originates from multiple sites in the ventricles |
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Myocardial Contractility |
The intrinsic ability of the heart to contract independent of preload and afterload |
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Myocarditis |
Inflammation of the heart muscle |
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Non-STEMI |
A myocardial infarc in which there is no ST-segment elevation |
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P Wave |
The first complex of the electrocardiogram, repesenting depolarization of the atria |
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Palpations |
Irregular or forceful beating of the heart |
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Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia |
Atrial tachycardia that begins and ends abruptly |
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Paroxsymal Nocturnal Dyspnea |
An abnormal condition of the respiratory system characterized by sudden attacks of SOB, profuse sweating, tachycardia, and wheexing that awaken a person from sleeping; it often is associated with left ventricular failure and pulmonary edema |
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Paroxsymal Supraventricular Tachycardia |
An ectopic rhythm in excess of 100 bpm and usually faster than 170 bpm that begins abruptly with a premature atrial or junctional beat and is supported by an atrioventricular nodal reenty mechanism or by an atrioventricular reenty involving an accessory pathway |
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P-R Interval |
The time that elapses between the beginning of the P wave and the beginning of the QRS complex in the electrocardiogram |
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Pericarditis |
Inflammation of the pericardium |
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Peripheral Vascular Resistance |
The total resistance against which blood must be pumped; also known as afterload |
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Point of Maximum Impluse |
The location or area where the apical pulse is palpated the strongest, often in the fifth intercostal space of the thorax just medial to the left midclavicular line. |
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Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia |
Ventricular tachycardia where the QRS complex has varying morphology or shape |
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Posterior Hemiblock |
Failure in conduction of the cardiac impulse in the posterior division of the left bundle branch |
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Potassium Ion Channels |
Protein-lined channels in the cell membrance that prevent sodium from passing into the cell |
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Precordial Leads |
Unipolar chest leads used in 12-lead ECG monitoring that record the electrical activityof the heart in the horizontal plane |
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Precordial Thump |
A technique to restore circulation in monitored unstable ventricular tachycardia |
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Preexcitation Syndrome |
Anomalous or accelerated atrioventriular conduction associated with an abnormal conduction pathway between the atria and ventricles |
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Preload |
The volume of blood returning to the heart |
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Premature Atrial Complex |
A cardiac dysrhythmia characterized by an atrial beat occuring before the expected excitation and indicated on the electrocardiogram as an early P wave |
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Premature Junctional Complex |
A cardiac dysrhythmia that occurs during sinus rhythm earlier than the next expected sinus beat is caused by premature discharge of an ectopic focus in the atrioventricular junctional tissue |
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Premature Ventricular Complex |
A cardiac dysrhythmia characterized by a ventricular beat preceding the expected electrical impulse and indicated on the electrocardiogram as an early, wide QRS complex without a preceding related P wave |
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Proarrhythmia |
A new or worsened rhythm disturbance seemingly generated by antidysrhrythmic therapy |
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Pulmonary Edema |
The accumulation of extravascular fluid in lung tissue and alveoli |
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Pulse Deficit |
A condition that exists when the radial pulse is less than the ventricular rate; it indicates a lack of peripheral perfusion |
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Pulseless Electriacl Activity (PEA) |
The absence of a detectable pulse and the presence of some type of electrical actitvity other than ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation; also known as electromechanical dissociation |
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Purkinje Fibers |
Myocardial fibers that are a continuation of the bundle of His and that extend into the muscle walls of the ventricles |
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QRS Complex |
The principal deflection in the electrocardiogram, representing ventricular depolarization |
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Q-T Interval |
The time elapsing from the beginning of the QRS complex to the end of the T wave, representing the total duration of electrical activity of the ventricles |
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R-on-T phenomenon |
The occurance of a ventricular depolarization during a vulnerable period of relative refractionaries |
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Reentry |
The reactivation of tissue by a returning impulse; the sustaining mechanism in some case of ventricular bigeminy or trigeminy, ventricular tachycardia, and paroxymal supraventricular tachycardia |
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Refractory Period |
The period after effective stimulation during which excitable tissue fails to respond to a stimulus of threshold intensity |
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Relative Refractory Period |
The portion of the action potential after the absolute refractory period during which another action potential can be produced with a greater than threshold stimulus strength |
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Repolarization |
The phase of the action potential in which the membrane potential moves from its maximum degree of depolarization toward the value of the resting membrane potential |
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Resting Membrane Potential |
The electrical charge difference inside a cell membranec measured relative to just outside the cell membrane |
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Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) |
Restoration of spontaneous circulation that provides evidence of more than an occasional gasp, occasional fleeting palpable pulse, or arterial waveform; the patient may or may not survive |
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Right Axis Deviation |
A pattern of electrical activity that occurs in the heart where there is a deviation of the axis to the right within the quadrant of 90 to 180 degrees |
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Right Bundle Branch |
A division in the bundle of His that provides pathways for impulse conduction |
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Right Bundle Branch Block |
A conduction abnormality that occurs when transmission of the electrical impulse is delayed or not conducted along the right bundle branch |
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Right Ventricular Failure |
Failure of the right ventricle to serve as an effective forward pump; often results from left ventricular failure that produces elevated pressure in the pulmonary vascular system |
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Sinoatrial Node |
An area of specialized heart tissue that generates the cardiac electrical impulse |
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Sinus Arrest |
The failure of the sinus node causes short periods of cardiac standstill |
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Sinus Bradycardia |
Decreased heart rate that results from slowing of the pacemaker rate of the SA node |
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Sinus Dysrhythmia |
A cardiac rhythm disturbance that often is related to the repiratory cycle and to changes in intrathoracic pressure |
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Sinus Tachycardia |
Increased heart rate that results from increase in the rate of the sinus node discharge |
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Sodium Ion Channels |
Protein-lined channels in the cell membrane that allow sodium to enter the cell during rapid depolarization |
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ST Segment |
The early part of repolarization in the electrocardiogram of the right and left ventricles |
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Standard Limb Leads |
Bipolar ECG leads that record the difference in electrical potential between the left arm (+) and the right arm (-) and the left leg (-) electrode |
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Starling's Law of the Heart |
A rule that the force of the heartbeat is determined by the length of the fibers making up the myocardial walls |
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STEMI |
A myocardial infarction in which there is ST- segment elevation |
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Stroke Volume |
The volume of blood ejected from one ventricle in a single heartbeat |
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Sudden Death |
A death that occurs within the first 2 hours after the onset of illness or injury |
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Supraventricular Tachycardia |
A complex group of dsyrhythmias that can be broadly defined as any tachycardia that directly or indirectly involves the atria or atrioventricular node (above the bundle of His) |
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Syncope |
A brief lapse in conciousness caused by transient cerebral hypoxia |
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Syncronized Cardioversion |
An electrical countershock used o terminate dsyrhythmias other than ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia given after the peak of the R wave of the cardiac cycle |
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Systole |
Contraction of the atria and ventricles |
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T wave |
A deflection in the electrocardiogram after the QRS complex, representing ventricular repolarization |
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Tachycardia |
A heart rate that exceeds 99 bpm |
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Third-Degree Atrioventricular Block |
A condition that results from complete electrical block at or below the atrioventricular node; also known as complete heart block |
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Threshold Potential |
The value of the membrane potential at which an action potential is produced as a result of depolarization in response to stimulus |
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Torsades De Pointees |
An unusual bidirectional ventricular tachycardia |
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Transcutaneous Cardiac Pacing (TCP) |
The delivery of repetitive electrical currents to the heart through an external artificial pacemaker, also known as external cardiac pacing |
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Type 1 Second-Degree Atrioventricular Block |
A type of seconddegree atrioventricular block that usually occurs at the level of the atrioventricular node; also known as Wenckebach |
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Type 2 Second Degree Atrioventricular Block |
A type of atrioventricular block that occurs when atrial impulses are not conducted to the ventricles |
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U wave |
The gradual deviation from the T wave in the electrocardiogram, thought to represent the final stage of repolarization of the ventricles |
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Unifocal Premature Ventricular Complex |
A premature ventricular complex that originates from a single ectopic pacemaker site |
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Unipolar Leads |
Augmented limb leads that record the difference in electrical potential, using one electrode for a positive pole, but having no ditinct negative pole |
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Unstable Angina (UA) |
An acute coronary syndrome associated with a pattern of ischemic chest pain that has changed in its ease of onset, frequency, intensity, duration, or quality; also known as preinfarction angina |
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Unchronized Cardioversion |
An electrical countershock used to terminate ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, given without regard to where the shock occurs in the cardiac cycle |
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Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) |
A tachycardia that usually originates in the Purkinje fibers |
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Ventricular Trigeminy |
A cardiac dsyrhythmia characterized by three ventricular beats in rapid succession followed by a longer interval |
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Wandering Pacemaker |
The passive transfer of pacemaker sites from the sinus node to other latent pacemaker sites in the atria and atrioventricular junction |
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Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome |
A syndrome of preexcitation of the ventricles of the heart; caused by accessory pathway (bundle of Kent) that permits abnormal electrical communication from the atria to the ventricles |
