Heart murmur
An unusual, ‘whooshing’ heart sound that may be innocent or may reflect disease or malformation. A heart murmur is created by blood flow through a heart valve, by blood flow through a narrowed chamber, or by an unusual connection between the chambers, as seen with congenital heart disease. Sometimes a heart murmur does not represent any disease or condition and is, therefore, referred to as a functional heart murmur. There are many forms of heart murmurs representing a variety of heart conditions. Each type of murmur is characterized by its location, timing, duration, as well as the intensity and quality of the sound it makes. A heart murmur is usually heard by a physician while he or she listens to the chest with a stethoscope. While the heart murmur itself is never treated, sometime the condition it represents may require treatment.
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A type of muscle with unique features only found in the heart. The heart muscle, or cardiac muscle, is medically called the myocardium (“myo-” being the prefix denoting muscle).
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The number of heartbeats per unit of time, usually per minute. The heart rate is based on the number of contractions of the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart). The heart rate may be too fast (tachycardia) or too slow (bradycardia). The pulse is a bulge of an artery from waves of blood that […]
- Heart rhythm disorders
Abnormal rhythm of the heartbeat due to irregularities in transmission of the electrical signals that normally control heart rate and rhythm. Also known as arrhythmias. With an arrhythmia, the heartbeats may be irregular or too slow (bradycardia), too rapid (tachycardia), or occur too early. When a single heartbeat occurs earlier than normal, it is called […]
- Heart septum
The dividing wall between the right and left sides of the heart. That portion of the septum that separates the right and left atria of the heart is termed the atrial, or interatrial, septum, whereas the portion of the septum that lies between the right and left ventricles of the heart is called the ventricular, […]
- Heart test, EPS
If a person needs a pacemaker. (This can usually be decided without an EPS but once in a while EPS is necessary.) Why a person is fainting (if other tests to find a basis have failed to find one). If a person is prone to a fast heart rhythm (tachycardia) and guide the appropriate treatment […]