EKG and Cardiovascular Testing terms

48 glossary entries from the EKG and Cardiovascular Testing topic of the CCMA test plan. Try free EKG and Cardiovascular Testing practice questions.

• 12-lead ECGA standard EKG that uses 10 electrodes, 4 on the limbs and 6 on the chest, to record 12 views of the heart.
• ACLSAdvanced cardiac life support: advanced emergency care for cardiac arrest and related emergencies.
• AEDAutomated external defibrillator: a device that analyzes the rhythm and delivers a shock if needed.
• AFibAtrial fibrillation: a fast, irregular rhythm of the upper heart chambers.
• artifactInterference on an EKG tracing not caused by the heart, such as muscle tremor, patient movement or electrical…
• asystoleAbsence of heart contraction and pulse.
• atrial fibrillationA fast, irregular rhythm in which the atria quiver instead of contracting; it raises stroke risk.
• atrial flutterA fast, regular atrial rhythm with a sawtooth pattern on the EKG.
• AV nodeAtrioventricular node: tissue between the atria and ventricles that receives the impulse from the SA node and briefly…
• bundle of HisConduction fibers that carry the impulse from the AV node through the wall between the ventricles.
• cardiac cycleOne complete heartbeat: contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole) of the chambers.
• cardiac outputThe amount of blood the heart pumps in one minute.
• CPRCardiopulmonary resuscitation: chest compressions and rescue breaths for cardiac arrest.
• defibrillationDelivering an electric shock to the heart to stop a life-threatening rhythm so a normal rhythm can return.
• depolarizationThe electrical change in heart or nerve cells that triggers contraction or a signal.
• diastoleThe phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle relaxes and the chambers fill.
• dysrhythmiaAn abnormal heart rhythm; also called arrhythmia.
• ECG, EKGElectrocardiogram: a recording of the heart's electrical activity.
• electrocardiogramA tracing of the heart's electrical activity recorded from electrodes on the skin.
• electrodeA sensor placed on the skin that picks up the heart's electrical signals for the EKG.
• heart blockAn interruption in the heart's normal electrical conduction pathway, such as an AV block.
• Holter monitorA portable EKG recorder worn during normal activity, usually for 24 to 48 hours (Merck: 24 hours to 14 days).
• isoelectric lineThe flat baseline on an EKG when no electrical activity is recorded.
• leadA view of the heart's electrical activity, recorded as the voltage difference between electrodes; the word may also…
• limb leadsThe six frontal-plane views of a 12-lead EKG: leads I, II and III and the augmented leads aVR, aVL and aVF.
• murmurAn unusual heart sound heard with a stethoscope, often from a valve or septal defect.
• normal sinus rhythmThe normal heart rhythm, started by the sinus (SA) node at a normal rate.
• P waveThe first wave of the EKG cycle, showing atrial depolarization.
• PACPremature atrial contraction: an early beat starting in the atria.
• PR intervalThe EKG measurement from the start of the P wave to the start of the QRS complex.
• precordial leadsThe six chest leads, V1 to V6, that view the heart in the horizontal plane.
• Purkinje fibersConduction fibers that spread the impulse through the ventricular walls so the ventricles contract.
• PVCPremature ventricular contraction: an early beat starting in the ventricles.
• QRS complexThe EKG waveform showing ventricular depolarization.
• repolarizationThe return of a cell to its resting electrical state after depolarization.
• rhythm stripA printed EKG tracing from one lead, often six seconds long, used to assess heart rhythm.
• SA nodeSinoatrial node: the heart's natural pacemaker in the right atrium, where each normal beat starts.
• sinus bradycardiaA regular rhythm from the SA node at fewer than 60 beats per minute.
• sinus tachycardiaA regular rhythm from the SA node at more than 100 beats per minute.
• somatic tremorEKG artifact from muscle movement or shivering that makes the baseline jittery.
• ST segmentThe EKG section between the QRS complex and the T wave; elevation can signal an acute heart attack and depression can…
• stress testA test of the heart during exercise or with medicine that makes the heart work harder, often with EKG monitoring.
• stroke volumeThe amount of blood the left ventricle pumps with each beat.
• SVTSupraventricular tachycardia: a fast rhythm starting above the ventricles.
• systoleThe phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle contracts.
• T waveThe EKG wave showing ventricular repolarization (recovery).
• ventricular fibrillationA chaotic, life-threatening rhythm in which the ventricles quiver and blood is not pumped; it needs immediate CPR and…
• ventricular tachycardiaA fast, life-threatening rhythm from the ventricles with wide QRS complexes.