Heart Disorders & Arrhythmias (Part 1)

Arrhythmias

Abnormal heart rhythms caused by problems with the electrical conduction system of the heart.

Bradycardia

Abnormally slow heart rate.

Heart Block

Failure of electrical impulses to travel properly from the SA node to the ventricles.

Partial Heart Block

Heart occasionally misses beats because impulses fail to conduct properly.

Complete Heart Block

No impulses reach the AV node, causing atria and ventricles to beat independently.

Right Bundle Branch Block (RBBB)

Delay or failure of impulses traveling through the right bundle branch.

Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB)

Delay or failure of impulses traveling through the left bundle branch.

Artificial Cardiac Pacemaker

Implanted device that maintains a proper heart rate.

Biventricular Pacemaker

Pacemaker that improves ventricular contraction and helps patients with congestive heart failure.

Flutter

Rapid but regular contractions, usually of the atria.

Atrial Flutter

Rapid atrial contractions that may reach 300 beats per minute.

Fibrillation

Rapid, random, inefficient, and irregular contractions of the heart.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF)

Most common arrhythmia; atria quiver instead of contracting normally.

Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation

Palpitations, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

Risk of Atrial Fibrillation

Increased risk of blood clots and stroke.

Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)

Life-threatening arrhythmia involving random ventricular contractions.

Cardiac Arrest

Sudden stoppage of heart movement.

Defibrillation

Application of an electrical shock to restore normal heart rhythm.

Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)

Device implanted in the chest that detects and corrects dangerous arrhythmias.

Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)

Portable device used in emergencies to reverse ventricular fibrillation.

Catheter Ablation

Procedure that destroys heart tissue causing arrhythmias using radiofrequency energy.

Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)

Rapid heart rhythm originating above the ventricles.

Congenital Heart Disease

Abnormalities of the heart present at birth.

Coarctation of the Aorta (CoA)

Narrowing of the aorta.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)

Persistent opening between the aorta and pulmonary artery after birth.

Symptoms of PDA

Cyanosis, fatigue, and rapid breathing.

Septal Defects

Holes in the wall separating the atria or ventricles.

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)

Hole in the wall between the atria.

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

Hole in the wall between the ventricles.

Tetralogy of Fallot

Congenital condition involving four heart defects.

Four Defects of Tetralogy of Fallot

Pulmonary stenosis, VSD, overriding aorta, and right ventricular hypertrophy.

Pulmonary Stenosis

Narrowing or obstruction of the pulmonary artery.

Overriding Aorta

Aorta positioned over the ventricular septal defect.

Right Ventricular Hypertrophy

Thickening of the right ventricular wall due to increased workload.

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.

Systolic Heart Failure

Reduced ejection fraction and decreased pumping ability.

Diastolic Heart Failure

Heart fills poorly, causing fluid backup in the lungs and body.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Disease of the coronary arteries, usually caused by atherosclerosis.

Coronary Arteries

Blood vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle.

Atherosclerosis

Buildup of plaque within arteries.

Ischemia

Reduced blood flow to tissue.

Necrosis

Death of tissue caused by lack of blood supply.

Myocardial Infarction (MI)

Heart attack caused by blockage of coronary blood flow.

Infarct

Area of dead heart muscle following a myocardial infarction.

Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS)

Conditions caused by myocardial ischemia, including unstable angina and myocardial infarction.

Angina

Chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle.

Nitroglycerin

Vasodilator used to treat acute attacks of angina.

CABG

Coronary artery bypass grafting; surgery that bypasses blocked coronary arteries.

PCI

Percutaneous coronary intervention; procedure using balloons and stents to open blocked coronary arteries.