Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
Premature ventricular contractions may be associated with underlying heart disease, and certain characteristics are therefore elicited routinely: the presence of signs of heart disease or a known history of heart disease (e.g. previous myocardial infarction), as well as heart disease or sudden cardiac death in close relatives.
Ectopic beats are considered normal and are not indicative of cardiac pathology. Ectopic beats often remain undetected and occur as part of minor errors in the heart conduction system. They are rarely indicative of cardiac pathology, although may occur more frequently or be more noticeable in those with existing cardiac abnormalities.
Not only does this affect supply to the heart muscle itself, but it also can affect the ability of the heart to pump blood throughout the body. Therefore, any disorder or disease of the coronary arteries can have a serious impact on health, possibly leading to angina , a heart attack , and even death.
While most cases of arrhythmia are not serious, some predispose a person to complications such as stroke or heart failure. [2] [3] Others may result in sudden death. [3] Arrhythmias are often categorized into four groups: extra beats, supraventricular tachycardias, ventricular arrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias. [3]
[17] [18] The influx of calcium ions (Ca 2+) through L-type calcium channels also constitutes a minor part of the depolarisation effect. [19] The slope of phase 0 on the action potential waveform (see figure 2) represents the maximum rate of voltage change of the cardiac action potential and is known as dV/dt max.
They conduct cardiac action potentials more quickly and efficiently than any of the other cells in the heart's electrical conduction system. [4] Purkinje fibers allow the heart's conduction system to create synchronized contractions of its ventricles, and are essential for maintaining healthy and consistent heart rhythm. [5]
test cardiac function in the right, or left ventricle. Cardiac ventriculography is a medical imaging test used to determine a person's heart function in the right, or left ventricle . [ 1 ] Cardiac ventriculography involves injecting contrast media into the heart's ventricle(s) to measure the volume of blood pumped.
Pulsus alternans is a physical finding with arterial pulse waveform showing alternating strong and weak beats. [1] It is almost always indicative of left ventricular systolic impairment, and carries a poor prognosis.