Glossary
A
ablation – A procedure where the cardiac tissue responsible for an irregular rhythm is disabled.
antiarrhythmics – A group of medications used to suppress the irregular rhythms of the heart.
anticoagulants – A group of medications used to thin the blood and prevent blood clots. Anticoagulants are also known as blood thinners.
arrhythmia – An irregular rhythm of the heart, resulting in the heart beating too slowly, too quickly or irregularly.
arrhythmic – Without rhythm or an irregular rhythm.
Asthma – A respiratory disorder, in which the air passages in the lungs narrow, causing wheezing and labored breathing. Individuals with asthma are more likely to develop AF.
atria/atrium – Atria is the plural of atrium. The atria are the two upper chambers of the heart that pump blood into the two lower chambers of the heart, the ventricles. A normal heart includes a right and left atrium.
Atrial Fibrillation – A condition in which unorganized electrical conduction causes the upper chambers of the heart – the atria – to beat so quickly they appear to quiver or fibrillate, resulting in the inefficient pumping of blood to the lower chambers of the heart – the ventricles. Symptoms can include tiredness, shortness of breath, palpitations, lightheadedness, weakness and rapid pulse.
atrioventricular (AV) node – A mass of tissue between the atria and ventricles of the heart, which conducts the electrical impulses from the atria to the ventricles.
C
cardioversion – The procedure of converting a heart with an abnormal rhythm to a normal one. Cardioversion may be achieved with medications and by administering an electrical shock to the heart through a defibrillator.
catheter ablation – A procedure in which a physician uses catheters – thin, flexible tubes with electrodes – to locate the origin of an arrhythmia and ablate or destroy abnormal tissue in the heart.
catheters – Thin, flexible, plastic tubes used in minimally invasive procedures to gain access to a position in the body through a vein or artery.
closed chest procedures – Procedures in which one or more small incisions are made on the side of the chest to gain access to the vascular system through the ribcage.
concomitant – Occurring together or at the same time.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) – A condition in which fat and cholesterol builds up in the coronary artery, causing the narrowing of the artery, resulting in inadequate blood flow. Individuals with Coronary Artery Disease may develop AF.
Cox-Maze procedure – A type of surgical ablation where a physician makes a series of incisions inside the right and left atria and sutures the incisions back together. The sutured incisions create scar tissue that stops abnormal electrical activity from passing through the heart.
curative therapies – Therapies designed to eliminate the cause of the condition and that have the potential to cure it.
D
defibrillator – An instrument used to deliver a high-voltage electrical current to the heart, to restore a normal rhythm.
diagnostic catheters – Thin, flexible, plastic tubes with wires and electrodes used to gain access to the heart, study an arrhythmia and locate its origin.
E
Edema – Tissue swelling caused by an excessive accumulation of fluid.
electrical remodeling – A condition in which the heart’s patterns of contraction and relaxation change in response to treatment or a disease.
electrocardiogram (ECG) – A diagnostic test that examines the electrical activity of the heart. Electrical activity is recorded by placing electrodes on the patient’s chest and arms, after which a machine makes a record of the data. An electrocardiogram can be known as ECG or EKG.
electrophysiology (EP) study – A study performed by an electrophysiologist that examines the electrical activity of the heart. The study is performed while the patient is lightly sedated and catheters are used to gain access to the heart. The heart’s electrical impulses are mapped and the heart may be stimulated by administering an electrical impulse.
Emphysema – A condition in which the small air sacs of the lungs become damaged and enlarged, causing an inefficient exchange of gasses and difficulty breathing. Individuals with Emphysema can develop AF.
H
Heart Failure – A disease characterized by the heart’s inability to pump blood efficiently to the body. As a result, fluid can accumulate in the lungs or extremities of the body.
Holter monitor – A small, portable device used to record the heart’s electrical activity for longer periods of time, such as 24 to 48 hours. Electrodes are placed on the chest and the patient carries the monitor in a small pouch around the neck or waist.
Hypertension – A condition in which blood pressure is consistently above the normal range. Individuals with hypertension have a great risk of developing AF.
Hyperthyroidism – A condition characterized by overproduction of thyroxine by the thyroid gland. Symptoms can include weight loss, chest pain, rapid heart rate and high blood pressure.
L
lesions – Scar tissue created in the body that can no longer conduct electrical signals.
Lone AF – Also called Paroxysmal AF, this term refers to individuals with AF who have no symptoms of underlying heart disease.
O
off-pump – Procedures where the patient is not placed on a heart-lung bypass machine.
on-pump – Procedures where the patient is placed on a heart-lung bypass machine.
open-chest – Invasive procedures that require a large incision be made over the chest and the chest is ‘opened’ to gain access to the heart.
P
pacemaker – An electronic device surgically implanted in the chest designed to regulate the heartbeat.
Paroxysmal AF – A type of AF that often comes on suddenly and ends spontaneously. The irregular heart rhythm may last for a few seconds, minutes, hours or longer before the heart returns to a normal rhythm on its own.
Pericarditis – A condition in which the tissue surrounding the heart (pericardium) becomes inflamed. Pericarditis can irritate the atria and lead to AF.
Permanent AF – A type of irregular heart rhythm characterized by the inability to restore sinus rhythm. Also called Chronic AF.
Persistent AF – A type of AF that persists until treated.
Pulmonary Disease – A condition in which a blood clot develops in the legs and travels to the lungs. Pulmonary Disease can sometimes trigger AF.
Pulmonary Edema – A condition characterized by an accumulation of fluid in the lungs.
R
rate control medications – A class of medications designed to regulate the speed at which a heart beats.
S
sinoatrial (SA) node – a specialized bundle of cells located in the right atrium of the heart, responsible for initiating and controlling the heartbeat.
sinus rhythm – The heart’s normal rhythm.
suppressive therapies – Therapies that work to control or suppress symptoms of a condition.
surgical ablation - A procedure in which a surgeon ablates or destroys abnormal tissue of the heart to stop an arrhythmia. Surgical ablation procedures typically consist of traditional methods, in which incisions are made in cardiac tissue, or use an energy source to ablate the tissue.
T
thromboembolic events – Conditions or states caused by a blood clot that dislodges and plugs another vessel.
Thyroid Disease – A condition in which thyroid hormones are elevated due to an overactive thyroid gland. Thyroid disease can increase the risk of AF.
tilt-table test – A test performed by a physician to reproduce the symptoms an AF patient experiences, while monitoring blood pressure, heart rate and heart rhythm.
V
ventricles – The two lower chambers of the heart responsible for pumping blood. The ventricles consist of the right and left ventricle; the left ventricle pumps blood to the body and the right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs.
Published: January 1, 2007
