User Manual

GLOSSARY OF TERMS
232 PatientNet Operator’s Manual, v1.04, 10001001-00X, Draft
All information contained herein is subject to the rights and restrictions on the title page.
Atrial Fibrillation - an arrhythmia arising in numerous ectopic pacemakers in the
atria characterized by very rapid atrial fibrillation waves, and an irregular, often rapid
ventricular response.
Atrial Flutter - an arrhythmia arising in an ectopic pacemaker in the atria character-
ized by abnormal atrial flutter waves with a sawtooth appearance and usually a regular
ventricular response.
Augmented Limb Leads - also called the frontal plane leads. Measures the electrical
potential between one limb lead electrode and the midpoint between the remaining
limb electrodes. Consists of aVL, aVR, and aVF. Views the anterior and lateral walls
of the heart.
AV Sequential Pacemaker - a dual chamber pacemaker that can sense and/or pace
both the atria and the ventricles.
Bidirectional Tachycardia - ventricular tachycardia characterized by two distinctly
different forms of QRS complexes alternating with each other, indicating the presence
of two ventricular ectopic pacemakers (Torsades De Pointes).
Bigeminy - an arrhythmia in which every other beat is a premature contraction.
Bipolar - means two leads. In the case of ECG, bipolar means two electrodes: a nega-
tive and a positive. In pacemakers, bipolar means two leads: the (+) and (-) both in the
heart.
Bipolar Limb Leads - Leads I, II, and III.
Bradycardia - an arrhythmia with a rate of less than 60 beats per minute.
Bundle Branch Block - defective conduction of electrical impulses through the right
or left bundle branch from the bundle of HIS to the Purkinje network causing right or
left bundle branch block. It may be complete/incomplete and intermittent/permanent.
Capture - refers to the ability of a pacemaker’s electrical impulse to depolarize either
the atria, ventricles, or both.
Couplet - two consecutive premature contractions.
Demand Pacing - refers to the mode of artificial pacing in which the pacemaker is
turned on when an appropriate underlying spontaneous atrial or ventricular rhythm is
absent.
Depolarization - the process by which a cardiac cell discharges electrically causing
cardiac contraction.
Digitized - analog signal is transformed to a digital or computerized signal for use in
the algorithm for beat analysis.
Dysrhythmia - arrhythmia, a rhythm other than normal sinus rhythm.
ECG - electrocardiogram, recording of the heart’s electrical activity.
ECG Grid - the grid on the ECG paper that is formed by the light and dark horizontal
and vertical lines.