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Med239 ECG
Chapter 1 Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Auscultated Blood pressure | BP determined while listening with a stethoscope. |
| Automatic external defibrillator (AED) | A lightweight, portable device that recognizes abnormal rhythm and determines if the rhythm is considered a "shockable rhythm" |
| Cardiac Output | The volume of blood the heart pumps in one minute. |
| Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) | The provision of ventilations (breaths) and chest compressions (blood circulation) for a person who shows no signs of breathing or having a heartbeat. |
| Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) | Disease related to the heart and blood vessels (veins and arteries) |
| Cardiovascular technologist | An individual who has advanced skills and can assist physicians with invasive cardiovascular diagnostic tests and procedures, such as angioplasty or heart surgery. |
| Code Blue | An alert that indicates that a pt is unresponsive and needs assistance immediately. |
| Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) | Narrowing of the arteries of the heart, causing a reduction of blood flow |
| Defibrillator | A machine that produces and sends an electrical shock to the heart in an attempt to correct the electrical pattern of the heart. |
| Diastolic Blood Pressure | The blood pressure measured when the heart relaxes; the minimum amount of pressure exerted against the vessel walls at all times. |
| Dysrhythmia | Abnormal Heartbeat |
| ECG monitor technician | view, analyze, and report the electrical activity of multiple patients’ hearts on a monitor (Figure 1-8) |
| Electrocardiogram (ECG) | A tracing of the heart's electrical activity recorded by an electrocardiograph. |
| Electrocardiograph | An instrument used to record the electrical activity of the heart. |
| Electrocardiograph (ECG) technician | An individual who has the technical skills and knowledge to record an ECG and prepare it for the physician. |
| Ethics | Standards of behavior and concepts of right and wrong. |
| healthcare providers | An trained professional that provides medical care to an individual; Includes doctors, nurses, Medical Assistants, etc. |
| hypertension | High Blood Pressure |
| hypotension | Low Blood Pressure |
| isolation precautions | The second level of steps taken to prevent the spread of infection; some examples include separating the infected patient from others and using personal protective equipment. |
| law | Rules of conduct enforced by a controlling authority such as the government. |
| libel | Writing defamatory words about someone; this is both illegal and unethical. |
| medical professional liability | means that a healthcare professional is legally responsible for his or her performance. |
| myocardial infarction (MI) (heart attack | A blockage in one or more of the coronary arteries causing lack of oxygen to the heart and death of the muscle tissue. |
| personal protective equipment (PPE) | Devices such as gloves, gowns, face masks or shields, and eye protection designed to protect a healthcare worker from sources of infection. |
| slander | Making derogatory remarks about someone that jeopardizes his or her reputation or means of livelihood; slander is both illegal and unethical. |
| standard precautions | Procedures, used with all patients, that are designed to prevent the spread of infection, such as performing hand hygiene and wearing gloves. |
| STAT | Immediately |
| Systolic blood pressure | The blood pressure measured when the left ventricle of the heart contracts; the number corresponding with the first Korotkoff sound heard when performing an auscultated blood pressure. |
| telemedicine | A monitoring system in which ECG tracings are communicated from a patient outside a medical facility to the physician via a telephone or digital system. |
| Tilt table test | A test to determine whether a change in a patient’s blood pressure or heart rate due to a change of position is causing symptoms of lightheadedness or fainting. |
| Vital signs | Pulse, Respiration, Blood Pressure, Temperature, Pulse Oximetry, and pain assessment. |