ventricular fibrillation
A patient's heart monitor shows the erratic pattern of ventricular fibrillation.
Noun: A life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia characterized by rapid, irregular, and ineffective quivering of the heart's ventricular muscles. This disrupts the coordinated contractions needed to pump blood, causing a catastrophic drop in blood pressure and leading to unconsciousness and cardiac arrest if not treated immediately.
This is a medical term used specifically to describe a critical heart condition. * It is typically used as a subject or object in sentences discussing cardiac emergencies, symptoms, causes, or treatments. * Example: "The patient was diagnosed with ventricular fibrillation." * Example: "The monitor showed ventricular fibrillation."
- As a subject: "Ventricular fibrillation is a medical emergency that requires immediate defibrillation."
- As an object: "The paramedics used a defibrillator to correct the ventricular fibrillation."
- With a preposition: "He went into ventricular fibrillation after the heart attack."
- "to go into ventricular fibrillation": This phrase describes the sudden onset of the condition.
- The patient's heart went into ventricular fibrillation during the procedure.
- "to be in ventricular fibrillation": This describes the state of having the condition.
- The ECG confirmed the patient was in ventricular fibrillation.
- V-fib (n.): A common abbreviation used in emergency medical contexts.
- "We have a code blue, patient is in V-fib!"
- Fibrillation (n.): The broader medical term for rapid, irregular, and unsynchronized muscle contractions. "Ventricular" specifies it occurs in the heart's lower chambers (ventricles).
- Defibrillation (n.): The treatment for ventricular fibrillation, which uses an electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm.
- Cardiac arrhythmia: A general term for any irregular heartbeat, under which ventricular fibrillation is a specific, severe type.
- Lethal arrhythmia: Emphasizes the life-threatening nature of the condition.
- Sudden cardiac arrest: This is often the immediate result of untreated ventricular fibrillation.
- CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation): A vital first-aid procedure used to maintain blood flow until defibrillation can be administered for ventricular fibrillation.
A patient's heart monitor shows the erratic pattern of ventricular fibrillation.
- fibrillation of heart muscles resulting in interference with rhythmic contractions of the ventricles and possibly leading to cardiac arrest