CARDIAC GENERAL DEFINITIONS 100% CORRECT
WELL RATED
Cardiac General Definitions
Dysrhythmias – is a disorder of rate and rhythm caused by a disturbance of the conduction system.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) – is a disorder of the coronary arteries that ultimately leads to
interference in blood supply to the myocardium. Permanent disruption of blood flow causes
myocardial dysfunction, including sudden death.
Cardiomyopathy – a term applied to diseases that diffusely affect the myocardium, resulting in
enlargement or ventricular dysfunction.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy – dilation of 4 chambers, characterized by impaired systolic ejection
function.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy – mass overgrowth of myocardial tissue including the
interventricular septum, overgrowth of muscle mass renders ventricular walls rigid, left
ventricular ejection is impeded throughout systole.
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy – abnormal diastolic filling, normal systolic emptying of ventricles.
Heart Failure (HF) - the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s metabolic needs.
HF can be right-sided, left-sided, or both
Right-sided HF – is characterized by systemic circulatory venous congestion.
Left-sides HF – sustained elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure ((LVEDP), increase in
left atrial pressure, which is transmitted to the pulmonary vascular bed.
Cardiogenic shock – the heart cannot maintain an adequate cardiac output (CO) to meet the
body’s needs. e.g. myocardial infarction (MI). It has been correlated with destruction of 40% or
more of left ventricular function.
, CARDIAC GENERAL DEFINITIONS 100% CORRECT
WELL RATED
Pacemaker – device (temporary or permanent) which provides electrical stimulation to the
cardiac musculature to control heart rate, when intrinsic pacing fails to provide perfusing
rhythm. Battery powered artificial heart pacing system.
Synchronous (Demand) Pacemaker: non-competitive, fires only when client’s own heart rate
drops below a preset heart on the generator.
Asynchronous (Fixed rate) Pacemaker: competitive, fires at a preset rate regardless of the
client’s rate and rhythm.
ECG Pacemaker Spike- visible on electrocardiogram strip in front of heart chamber being paced
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) – uses electrical pulses or shocks to treat life-
threatening ventricle dysrhythmias
ICD-S shock capability only
WELL RATED
Cardiac General Definitions
Dysrhythmias – is a disorder of rate and rhythm caused by a disturbance of the conduction system.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) – is a disorder of the coronary arteries that ultimately leads to
interference in blood supply to the myocardium. Permanent disruption of blood flow causes
myocardial dysfunction, including sudden death.
Cardiomyopathy – a term applied to diseases that diffusely affect the myocardium, resulting in
enlargement or ventricular dysfunction.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy – dilation of 4 chambers, characterized by impaired systolic ejection
function.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy – mass overgrowth of myocardial tissue including the
interventricular septum, overgrowth of muscle mass renders ventricular walls rigid, left
ventricular ejection is impeded throughout systole.
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy – abnormal diastolic filling, normal systolic emptying of ventricles.
Heart Failure (HF) - the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s metabolic needs.
HF can be right-sided, left-sided, or both
Right-sided HF – is characterized by systemic circulatory venous congestion.
Left-sides HF – sustained elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure ((LVEDP), increase in
left atrial pressure, which is transmitted to the pulmonary vascular bed.
Cardiogenic shock – the heart cannot maintain an adequate cardiac output (CO) to meet the
body’s needs. e.g. myocardial infarction (MI). It has been correlated with destruction of 40% or
more of left ventricular function.
, CARDIAC GENERAL DEFINITIONS 100% CORRECT
WELL RATED
Pacemaker – device (temporary or permanent) which provides electrical stimulation to the
cardiac musculature to control heart rate, when intrinsic pacing fails to provide perfusing
rhythm. Battery powered artificial heart pacing system.
Synchronous (Demand) Pacemaker: non-competitive, fires only when client’s own heart rate
drops below a preset heart on the generator.
Asynchronous (Fixed rate) Pacemaker: competitive, fires at a preset rate regardless of the
client’s rate and rhythm.
ECG Pacemaker Spike- visible on electrocardiogram strip in front of heart chamber being paced
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) – uses electrical pulses or shocks to treat life-
threatening ventricle dysrhythmias
ICD-S shock capability only
