EKG vocab

Acidosis

An increase in the hydrogen ion concentration of the blood, lowering its pH and causing many undesirable effects.

Artifact

Markings on the EKG that do not come from the heart’s conduction system but from some other cause, either from the patient or outside the patient.

atrial kick

the extra blood the atria can eject into the ventricles a sa result of slowdown the AV node.

contract

decrease in length

defibrillation

the process of sending an electrical shock to the heart in an attempt to restore an acceptable heart rhythm

depolarization

activation of the cells of the heart by an electrical impulse for the purpose of initiating a contraction.

diaphragm

the dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen, moving downward to allow the lungs to expand during inhalation and promoting exhalation as it rises upward

dysrhymia

abnormal heart rhythm

ectopic

originating in an area of the heart other than the sinoatrial node.

electrolyte

a chemical substance that develops an electrical charge, can conduct an electrical current when placed in water, and is essential in specific amounts to maintain many bodily functions.

heart failure

disorder in which the heart fails to pump blood efficiently, resulting in severe complications.

hyperthyroidism

high levels of thyroid hormone, causing a rapid metabolism

hypothermia

body temperature below the expected reference range

hypothyroidism

low levels of thyroid hormone, causing a slow metabolism

intercostal

between the ribs

ischemia

lack of blood supply to tissues due to a block vessel that provides circulation to that area

mediastinum

the group of organs and tissues that separate the lungs, including the heart and its large blood vessels

myocardial

related to the heart muscle

orthopnea

ability to breathe without difficulty only when in an upright position (sitting or standing)

pacemaker

a natural or artificial source of electrical current that causes depolarization of the heart muscle.

palpitations

sensations of a rapid or irregular heartbeat that the patient can feel in the chest or throat.

precordial

in front of the heart

repolarization

relaxation of the heart muscle in its resting state

semilunar

half-moon shaped

sternum

flat bone in the middle of the chest; breastbone

tension pneumothorax

an accumulation of air or gas in the pleural space that results from a lacerated ling or an opening in the chest wall, often as a complication of other types of pneumothorax

tortuous

having multiple twists and turns

visceral

referring to internal organs inside a body cavity