cardiac massage heart massage | 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 |
cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR cardiac resuscitation mouth-to-mouth resuscitation kiss of life | an emergency procedure consisting of external cardiac massage and artificial respiration, the first treatment for a person who has collapsed and has no pulse and has stopped breathing, attempts to restore circulation of the blood and prevent death or brain damage due to lack of oxygen |
cardiac monitor heart monitor | a piece of electronic equipment for continual observation of the function of the heart |
cardiac rhythm heart rhythm | the rhythm of a beating heart |
pacemaker cardiac pacemaker sinoatrial node SA node | a specialized bit of heart tissue that controls the heartbeat |
cardiac muscle heart muscle | the muscle tissue of the heart, adapted to continued rhythmic contraction |
area of cardiac dullness | a triangular area of the front of the chest (determined by percussion), corresponds to the part of the heart not covered by the lungs |
heart valve cardiac valve | a valve to control one-way flow of blood |
cardiac plexus plexus cardiacus | a plexus of nerves supplying the heart and nearby structures |
cardiac sphincter | the valve between the distal end of the esophagus and the stomach, the physiological sphincter at the esophagogastric junction |
cardiac cycle | the complete cycle of events in the heart from the beginning of one heart beat to the beginning of the next, an electrical impulse conducted through the heart muscle that constricts the atria which is followed by constriction of the ventricles, the cardiac cycle can be shown on an electrocardiogram |
asystole cardiac arrest cardiopulmonary arrest | absence of systole, failure of the ventricles of the heart to contract (usually caused by ventricular fibrillation) with consequent absence of the heart beat leading to oxygen lack and eventually to death |
cardiac arrhythmia arrhythmia | an abnormal rate of muscle contractions in the heart |
coronary insufficiency cardiac insufficiency | inadequate blood flow to the heart muscles, can cause angina pectoris |
heart murmur cardiac murmur murmur | an abnormal sound of the heart, sometimes a sign of abnormal function of the heart valves |
tamponade tamponage | blockage or closure (as of a wound or body cavity) by (or as if by) a tampon (especially to stop bleeding) |
cardiac tamponade | mechanical compression of the heart resulting from large amounts of fluid collecting in the pericardial space and limiting the heart's normal range of motion |
cardiac glycoside cardiac glucoside | obtained from a number of plants and used to stimulate the heart in cases of heart failure |
cardiac output | the amount of blood pumped out by the ventricles in a given period of time, a resting adult has a cardiac output of about three quarts a minute |
cardiac | of or relating to the heart, cardiac arrest |