With the first ribs fixed by neck muscles (scalene muscles and sternocleidomastoid muscle), the intercostals muscles (especially external intercostal muscles and interchondral part of internal intercostal muscles of opposite side), elevate the 2nd to 12th ribs and thus act as inspiratory muscles.
Medical Dictionary. arrhythmia. play. noun arÂ·rhythÂ·mia \Ä-Ërith-mÄ-É\. Medical Definition of arrhythmia. : an alteration in rhythm of the heartbeat either in time or force.
cardiac arrhythmia. Etymology: Gk, kardia + a + rhythmos, without rhythm. an abnormal cardiac rate or rhythm. The condition is caused by a failure of the sinus node to maintain its pacemaker function or by a defect in the electrical conduction system. Examples of arrhythmia include bradycardia, ectopic beat, heart block, and tachycardia.