another name for normal cardiac rhythm
Most arrhythmias can be effectively treated. Treatments may include medications, medical procedures such as a pacemaker, and surgery. Medications for a fast heart rate may include beta blockers or agents that attempt to restore a normal heart rhythm such as procainamide. Ventricular Fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation (v-fib for short) is the most serious cardiac rhythm disturbance. The lower chambers quiver and the heart can't pump any blood, causing cardiac arrest. The heart's electrical activity becomes disordered. When this happens, the heart's lower (pumping) chambers contract in a rapid, unsynchronized way. Process of placing a handheld transducer against a body area to be tested. The transducer sends sound waves through the skin and the various internal organs. When echoes are formed and sent back the transducer converts them into electrical energy. The process begins in the upper chambers of the heart (atria), which pump blood into the lower chambers (ventricles). The ventricles then pump blood to the body and lungs. This coordinated action occurs because the heart is wired to send electrical signals that tell the chambers of the heart when to contract. Updated:Mar 21,2017. Ventricular fibrillation is life-threatening. Ventricular fibrillation (v-fib for short) is the most serious cardiac rhythm disturbance. The lower chambers quiver and the heart can't pump any blood, causing cardiac arrest. Next, the signal travels to the area that connects the atria with the ventricles. This electrical connection is critical. Without it, the signal would never reach the ventricles, the major pumping chambers of the heart. The electrical signal reaches another natural pacemaker called the atrioventricular node (AV node). Cardiac Rhythms and EKG Overview. Study of a patient's cardiac rhythms using an EKG may indicate normal or abnormal conditions. Abnormal rhythms are called arrhythmia or sometimes, dysrhythmia. Arrhythmia is an abnormally slow or fast heart rate or an irregular cardiac rhythm. During a single heart beat, several electrical events occur. These events are part of an EKG tracing and are called P, Q, R, S, T and U. Typically, normal sinus rhythm is defined as a sinus rhythm whose rate is between 60 and 99 beats per minute. Sinus rhythm may be slow, which is called sinus bradycardia. (Bradycardia is the name given to a slow heart rate.) Sinus bradycardia is not necessarily abnormal. The master pacemaker is located in the atrium (upper chamber). It acts like a spark plug that fires in a regular, rhythmic pattern to regulate the heart's rhythm. This spark plug is called the sinoatrial (SA), or sinus node. It sends signals to the rest of the heart so the muscles will contract. Cardiac arrhythmia, also known as cardiac dysrhythmia or irregular heartbeat, is a group of conditions in which the heartbeat is irregular, too fast, or too slow. A heart rate that is too fast – above 100 beats per minute in adults – is called tachycardia and a heart rate that is too slow – below 60 beats per minute – is called bradycardia. Many types of arrhythmia have no symptoms.
Normal sinus rhythm