There are three kinds of defibrillators--machines designed to deliver a shock to the heart when it goes into a life threatening rhythm. One type, the external defibrillator, is used in and out of the hospital. External defibrillators in hospitals...
The cardiac defibrillator is a life-saving device used to give the heart a controlled electric shock to jolt it back to beating normally. According to a May 2004 study published in "Medscape Cardiology," cardiac defibrillators are best used in...
Many incidences of ventricular fibrillation (VF)--an extremely abnormal heart rhythm that can cause cardiac arrest and proves to be fatal up to 75 percent of the time--occur without any warning. Some people do experience early-warning signs that...
When an individual experiences a sudden cardiac arrest, the heart is experiencing an abnormal heart rhythm. The best chance of survival in sudden cardiac arrest will occur if an electrical shock can be delivered to the heart to restore a normal...
Ventricular Fibrillation (V-Fib) occurs when the lower chambers of the heart do not fill with blood, but do not empty. The National Institute of Health (NIH) describes V-fib as twitching or quivering of heart muscle fibers, which renders the heart...
Ventricular fibrillation, or V-Fib, is when the heart loses its normal rhythm. The heart is regulated by electrical impulses generated by an SA node in the right ventricle. If the electrical signal gets jammed, the heart quivers, or fibrillates,...
One of the first things your doctor will instruct you to do to treat cardiomyopathy is to break bad habits and develop healthy ones. Fatigue is a symptom due to the heart not pumping as well as it should. Depending on how severe your symptoms...
The different stages of heart failure are established by the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification system. Another staging system is the American Heart Association (AHA) Classification of Chronic Heart Failure. The NYHA heart...
If you have suffered from a heart condition such as sudden cardiac arrest or congestive heart failure, your physician might recommend placement of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. The device, inserted into the chest or abdomen, uses...
The heart contains four chambers separated by one-way valves that allow blood to flow through the heart to and from the lungs and out into the body. A group of specialized cells, known as the sinus node, produce electrical impulses that trigger...
The heart normally maintains a steady rhythm or beat. Illnesses and diseases can interrupt this rhythm. There are many different types of irregular heart beats, or arrhythmias. One type is called ventricular fibrillation. The heart's two lower...
Heart defibrillators are used to treat cardiac arrest--a disease in which the heart stops beating due to several reasons. They are used to treat cardiac arrest caused by irregular heart beats--heart beats that are too fast or erratic. The role of...
Prior to the advent and use of heart defibrillators, the survival rate from a sudden cardiac arrest was very poor. The only tools that rescuers and non-medical trained bystanders had was CPR. Today defibrillators are available and widely used in...
High potassium levels can lead to a type of heart attack called sudden cardiac arrest. Unlike regular heart attacks, sudden cardiac arrest is characterized by a sudden and unexpected cessation of your heartbeat. A sudden cardiac arrest usually...
Cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart stops beating due to several reasons including irregular heart beats. According to the American Heart Association, most cases of cardiac arrest that result in sudden death are caused by abnormal...
Philips' HeartStart XL Defibrillator and Monitor is designed for cardiac care. The machine weighs less than 14 lbs. and is a mobile defibrillation system that can be used by trained ALS or BLS clinicians. The system can also be used by untrained...
If you are a ventricular fibrillation (VF) survivor or have other heart problems, you have a high risk of experiencing another episode of the "disorganized" or extremely irregular heartbeat. To be prepared for future situations, it is highly...
A heart defibrillator controls the heart rhythm. It sends an electrical shock through the heart when it beats too quickly or becomes irregular, notes the University of Chicago Medical Center. An electrical shock is used to return the heart to its...
Heart rate is controlled by electrical impulses sent throughout the heart muscle. Disruption to the electrical conduction system can alter the rate at which the heart beats. Tachycardia and bradycardia are abnormal heart rates.
The average healthy adult has a heart rate of about 70 beats per minute, or 100,800 beats each day. Many heart conditions such as bradycardia, tachycardia, heart attack, cardiogenic shock, valve disorders, high blood pressure, blood clots,...
Increased potassium, or hyperkalemia, interferes with the electrical currents of the body. The cells of the body rely on the flow of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium into and out of cells in order to function properly. Electrolyte...
A defibrillator or automated external defibrillator is a device that can restore normal heart rhythm to a person whose heart has stopped. The defibrillator is designed to be used by the lay public while waiting for medical professionals to arrive....
Experiencing heart palpitations is a concerning symptom while taking fish oil supplements. Stop using the supplement immediately, and call your doctor for a medical assessment. Heart palpitations may occur from fish oil supplements if you have a...
The heart uses electrical signals to enable synchronized, rhythmic contraction of its four chambers. Heart rhythm problems, known as arrhythmias, occur when the electrical impulses in the heart that coordinate heartbeats fail to function properly....
Treatment for heart failure--a disease in which the body does not receive enough blood from the heart due to weakness of the heart muscles or an inability of the heart to fill up with enough blood--involves taking medication, lifestyle changes or...
The heart is predominantly made up of muscle (also known as cardiac muscle). Like all muscles, cardiac muscles contract in response to electrical stimulation. The contraction of cardiac muscle is carefully controlled to ensure that the beating of...
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction. It can cause breathing difficulties, low blood pressure, skin hives, rashes or swelling and gastrointestinal symptoms. Causes usually include allergies to insect bites and stings, drugs or foods. In...
Internal defibrillators are similar in size and structure to pacemakers. They monitor the rhythm of the patient's heart and can give a small electric shock if the heart starts to develop an abnormal rhythm, resetting the heart's electrical...
Sudden cardiac arrest is often associated with the elderly, but the heart can suddenly stop beating in people of all ages. According to 2004 information from the American Heart Association, more than 250,000 people die each year from sudden...
