Chapter 17 Cardiovascular Emergencies: Vital Vocabulary

Question 1

A term describing the shape of the QRS complex in aberrantly (abnormally) conducted beats.

Answer 1

aberration

Question 2

The early phase of cardiac repolarization, wherin the heart muscle cannot be stimulated to depolarize; also known as the effective refractory period.

Answer 2

absolute refractory period (ARP)

Question 3

A series of cardiac conditions caused by an abrupt reduction in coronary artery blood flow.

Answer 3

acute coronary syndromes (ACSs)

Question 4

Cardiac ischemia that occurs when sudden narrowing or complete occlusion of a coronary artery leads to death (necrosis) of myocardial tissue.

Answer 4

acute myocardial infarction (AMI)

Question 5

Pertaining to the period of dying.

Answer 5

agonal

Question 6

A ventricular rate of less than 20 beats/min; this rhythm is seen just before the heart stops beating altogether.

Answer 6

agonal rhythm

Question 7

The sudden pain that occurs when the oxygen supply to the myocardium is insufficient to meet demand, causing ischemic changes in the tissue.

Answer 7

angina pectoris

Question 8

An outpouching or bulge in the wall of a portion of the aorta, caused by weakening and dilation of the vessel wall; a ruptured aortic aneurysm is life threatening.

Answer 8

aortic aneurysm

Question 9

The absence of any cardiac rhythm or organized activity; asystole or ventricular standstill.

Answer 9

arrhyhthmia

Question 10

A pathologic condition in which the thickening and stiffening of the arterial walls makes the arteries less elastic.

Answer 10

arteriosclerosis

Question 11

An artificial product; in cardiology, used to refer to noise or interference in an ECG tracing.

Answer 11

artifact

Question 12

The absence of ventricular contraction or electrical activity; a straight-line or flat-line ECG.

Answer 12

asystole

Question 13

A mass of fatty tissue that gradually calcifies, hardening into an atheromatous plaque that infiltrates the arterial wall, diminishing its elasticity.

Answer 13

atheroma

Question 14

An accumulation of fat inside a blood vessel that narrows the diameter of the lumen.

Answer 14

atherosclerosis

Question 15

The portion of the conduction system of the heart that consists of the AV node and the nonbranching portion of the bundle of His.

Answer 15

atrioventricular (AV) junction

Question 16

A group of cells that slows the electrical impulses from the sinoatrial node before relaying it to the ventricles; located in the floor of the right atrium immediately behind the tricuspid valve and near the opening of the coronary sinus.

Answer 16

atrioventricular (AV) node

Question 17

On an ECG, leads aVR, aVL, and aVF. They contain only one true pole; the other is a combination of information from other leads. A standard 12-lead ECG consists of the three augmented leads, along with the three standard limb leads and the six precordial leads.

Answer 17

augmented limb leads

Question 18

A smart defibrillator that can analyze the patient’s ECG rhythm, determine whether a defibrillating shock is needed, and guide the user through the resuscitation effort via voice commands.

Answer 18

automated external defibrillator (AED)

Question 19

Movement of the heart’s QRS axis to the right or left of its normal position.

Answer 19

axis deviation

Question 20

The classic trio of signs associated with cardiac tamponade: narrowed pulse pressure, muffled heart tones, and jugular vein distention.

Answer 20

Beck triad

Question 21

Blockage of any two fascicles or conduction pathways: a right bundle branch block (RBBB) with anterior hemiblock, RBBB with posterior hemiblock, or anterior hemiblock and posterior hemiblock (a combination known as LBBB).

Answer 21

bifascicular block

Question 22

A dysrhythmia in which every other complex is a premature complex, causing a normal-early beat-normal-early beat pattern; can be atrial, junctional, or ventricular.

Answer 22

bigeminy

Question 23

On an ECG, leads that contain both a positive and a negative pole: leads I, II, and III.

Answer 23

bipolar leads