Definition

Noun: - An emergency medical procedure involving the rhythmic compression of the heart, performed to manually maintain blood circulation when a person's heart has stopped beating (cardiac arrest). The compression can be applied externally through the chest wall or internally during surgery directly on the heart.

Usage

This term is used specifically in medical and emergency contexts to describe a critical, life-saving intervention. - It is a technical term for a core component of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). - The phrase is often used in instructional or descriptive settings, such as in first-aid manuals, medical reports, or news stories about emergencies.

Examples

• The paramedic performed heart massage on the patient until the defibrillator was ready.
• In the operating room, the surgeon began direct heart massage when the patient's heart stopped.
• Immediate heart massage can double or triple a person's chance of survival after cardiac arrest.

Advanced Usage

• "Closed-chest heart massage": Refers to the standard external compression performed on a patient's sternum. This is the common form used in most out-of-hospital emergencies.
• "Open-chest heart massage": Refers to internal cardiac compression performed by a surgeon during thoracic surgery or in specific traumatic injuries.

Variants and Related Words

• Cardiac massage: A direct synonym, often used interchangeably in medical literature.
• Chest compressions: A more common, layperson-friendly term for the external component of CPR, which is the action of performing heart massage.
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): The full emergency procedure that combines heart massage (chest compressions) with artificial ventilation (rescue breaths).

Synonyms

• Cardiac compression
• Chest compressions (for the external method)

Related Phrases

• "To perform heart massage": The standard phrase describing the action.
  • A bystander who knows how to perform heart massage can save a life.
• "In need of heart massage": Describing the patient's condition.
  • The victim was unconscious and in immediate need of heart massage.

Noun

1. an emergency procedure that employs rhythmic compression of the heart (either through the chest wall or, during surgery, directly to the heart) in an attempt to maintain circulation during cardiac arrest