You searched for: “fibrillation
fibrillation
1. A small, local, involuntary, muscular contraction, as a result of the spontaneous activation of single muscle cells or muscle fibers.
2. Muscular twitching involving individual muscle fibers acting without coordination.
3. The formation of fibrils or fibers.
4. A rapid chaotic beating of the heart muscles in which the affected part of the heart may stop pumping blood.
5. An abnormal bioelectric potential occurring in neuropathies and myopathies.
6. Rapid uncoordinated twitching movements that replace the normal rhythmic contraction of the heart and may cause a lack of circulation and pulse.

The difference between fibrillation and flutter is that fibrillation is not well organized while flutter is.

Word Entries containing the term: “fibrillation
atrial fibrillation (s), atrial fibrillations (pl) (nouns)
Extremely rapid, incomplete contractions of the atria (chamber of the heart that receives blood from the body and transmits it to the ventricles) resulting in irregular intensities and rhythms and uncoordinated movements of the heart.
ventricular fibrillation
The primary mechanism and arrhythmia seen in sudden cardiac arrest.

Organized electrical activity and synchronized mechanical pumping activity are absent.

The electrocardiogram shows a chaotic, wavy baseline. If ventricular fibrillation is not terminated rapidly with defibrillation, blood flow to the brain is cut off, causing brain damage.

Untreated ventricular fibrillation leads to death.

This entry is located in the following unit: fabrillo-, fibrill-, fibrilo-, fibril- (page 1)