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单词 electrocardiography
释义

electrocardiography


e·lec·tro·car·di·o·graph

E0074100 (ĭ-lĕk′trō-kär′dē-ə-grăf′)n. An instrument used in the detection and diagnosis of heart abnormalities that measures electrical potentials on the body surface and generates a record of the electrical currents associated with heart muscle activity. Also called cardiograph.
e·lec′tro·car′di·o·graph′ic (-grăf′ĭk) adj.e·lec′tro·car′di·o·graph′i·cal·ly adv.e·lec′tro·car′di·og′ra·phy (-kär′dē-ŏg′rə-fē) n.

electrocardiography

A diagnostic method of examining the electrical impulses through the heart using electrodes attached to the chest and to a recording device to make an electrocardiogram.
Thesaurus
Noun1.electrocardiography - diagnostic procedure consisting of recording the activity of the heart electronically with a cardiograph (and producing a cardiogram)cardiographydiagnostic procedure, diagnostic technique - a procedure followed in making a medical diagnosis
Translations
électrocardiographieelettrocardiografia

electrocardiography


electrocardiography

(ĭlĕk'trōkärdēŏg`rəfē), science of recording and interpreting the electrical activity that precedes and is a measure of the action of heartheart,
muscular organ that pumps blood to all parts of the body. The rhythmic beating of the heart is a ceaseless activity, lasting from before birth to the end of life. Anatomy and Function

The human heart is a pear-shaped structure about the size of a fist.
..... Click the link for more information.
 muscles. Since 1887, when Augustus Waller demonstrated the possibility of measuring such action, physicians and physiologists have recorded it in order to study the heart's normal behavior and to provide a method for diagnosing abnormalities. Electrical current associated with contraction of the heart muscles passes through the various tissues and reaches the surface of the body. What is actually recorded is the change in electrical potential on the body surface. The first practical device for recording the activity of the heart was the string galvanometer developed by William Einthoven in 1903. In this device a fine quartz string is suspended vertically between the poles of a magnet. The string is deflected in response to changes in electrical potential and its movement can be optically enlarged and photographed, or, if an immediately visible record is desired, the string's movement can be recorded on a sheet of paper. A more sophisticated form of the electrocardiograph employs a vacuum-tube amplifier. The greatly amplified current from the body deflects a mirror galvanometer that causes a beam of light to move across a light-sensitive film. When an electrocardiograph is taken, electrodes (leads) are attached to the extremities and to the left chest. The recordings obtained in this manner are called electrocardiograms, or more simply EKG's or ECG's. A normal EKG shows a sequence of three waves arbitrarily labeled P, QRS, and T. The P wave is a small, low-amplitude wave produced by the excitation of the atria of the heart. It is followed by a resting interval that marks the passage of electrical impulses into the ventricles. Following this interval comes the QRS wave, a rapid, high-amplitude wave marking ventricular excitation, and then a slow-building T wave denoting ventricular recovery. Abnormalities may be noted from deviation in wave form, height, direction, or duration. The type of abnormal wave may sometimes indicate the type of heart disorder. Usually the physician must associate the EKG with other clinical observations to determine the cause of the abnormality. See also stress teststress test
or exercise electrocardiography,
in medicine, a test that evaluates the performance of the heart by subjecting it to controlled amounts of physical stress.
..... Click the link for more information.
.

Electrocardiography

 

a method of investigating the heart muscle by recording bioelectric potentials. Contractions of the heart (systole) are preceded by excitation of the myocardium, accompanied by the passage of ions across the membranes of the myocardial cells, causing the potential difference between the external and internal surfaces of the membranes to change. Measurements made by means of microelectrodes show that the change in potential is about 100 microvolts (mv). Under normal conditions, the divisions of the human heart become excited in succession so that the changing potential difference between the already excited and still unexcited divisions of the heart is recorded on its surface. Owing to the electroconductivity of tissues, these electric processes can be detected even when the electrodes are placed on the body in places where the change in the potential difference is 1–3 mv.

Electrophysiological experiments were first performed on the heart in the 19th century, but the methods were not given medical application until the conclusion of Einthoven’s studies (1903–24). Einthoven used a quick-response string galvanometer. He suggested the names of the elements in the recorded curve, and he proposed a standard recording system and the main criteria for evaluation. The method’s great informational value, comparative technical simplicity, and safe and easy application guaranteed its widespread use in medicine and physiology.

The principal elements of a modern electrocardiograph are an amplifier, a galvanometer, and a recording device. A curve, or electrocardiogram (EKG), with acute and round waves that recur during every systole is obtained when the changing pattern of distribution of electric potentials is recorded on moving paper. The waves are usually designated by the letters P, Q, R, S, T, and U. The P wave is associated with the activity of the atrium, and the remaining waves with that of the ventricles. The shape of the waves in the different leads is generally different. The EKG’s of different persons can be compared if standard recording conditions are maintained and if the method of placing the electrodes on the limbs and chest (12 leads are normally used) is the same. The conditions are determined by the sensitivity of the apparatus (1 mm = 0.1 mv) and by the rate at which the paper moves (25 or 50 mm/sec). The examinee is usually recumbent and resting (in the presence of special indications, after physical activity or the administration of a drug). Analysis of an EKG reveals the presence, size, shape, and width of the waves and the intervals between them. The information is used to evaluate the electric processes in the heart as a whole and, to a certain extent, the electric activity of fairly circumscribed portions of the myocardium.

Electrocardiography is of the greatest importance for diagnosing disturbances of the cardiac rhythm and for detecting myocardial infarction and other diseases. However, changes in the EKG reflect only the nature of the disturbance of the electrical processes and are generally not strictly specific for a certain disease. Changes can result not only from disease but also from ordinary daily activity, diet, medication, and other causes. Therefore, the physician bases his diagnosis not on the EKG alone but on all clinical and laboratory signs of the disease. The diagnostic value of the EKG increases when several are taken in succession—at intervals of several days or a week—and compared.

Electrocardiographs are also used in cardiac monitors, making possible round-the-clock observation of the severely ill. In clinical, sports, and space medicine the devices are used for tele-metric control of a person at work; the electrodes are applied by special methods, and radio communication is set up between the galvanometer and the recording device.

The bioelectric activity of the heart can be recorded by other means. The potential difference is characterized by an intensity and direction specific for a particular moment. In other words, it is a vector and can be arbitrarily represented by an arrow occupying a certain position in space. The characteristics of the vector change during the cardiac cycle in such a manner that its initial point remains fixed, while the terminal point describes a complex closed curve. When projected to a flat surface, the curve, called a vectorcardiogram (VKG), resembles a series of loops. The VKG can be constructed approximately by graphic means based on the EKG in different leads. It can also be obtained directly by using a special apparatus, a vectorcardiograph, in which a cathode-ray tube is the recording device and two pairs of electrodes placed on the examinee in the corresponding plane are used as leads. By changing the position of the electrodes one can obtain a VKG in different planes and derive a more complete spatial representation of the electric processes. Vectorcardiography sometimes supplements electrocardiography as a diagnostic tool. Study of electrophysiological principles and the clinical use of electrocardiography and vectorcardiography, along with improvement of apparatus and recording techniques, are the concerns of a special branch of medicine called electrocardiology.

In veterinary medicine, electrocardiography is used to diagnose changes in the heart of large and small animals (chiefly horses, cattle, and dogs) that result from some noncontagious or infectious diseases. Disturbances of the cardiac rhythm, enlargement of divisions of the heart (atria, ventricles), and other changes can be detected in animals by means of electrocardiography. The procedure is of value in monitoring the effect on the heart muscle of drugs currently in use or undergoing testing.

REFERENCES

Isakov, I. I., M. S. Kushakovskii, and N. B. Zhuravleva. Klinicheskaia elektrokardiografiia. Leningrad, 1974.
Sumarokov, A. V., and A. A. Mikhailov. Klinisheskaia elektrokar-diografiia, 3rd ed. Moscow, 1975.
Friedman, H. H. Diagnostic Electrocardiography and Vectorcardiography. New York, 1971.
Chung, E. K. Electrocardiography: Practical Applications With Vectorial Principles. New York, 1974.

A. A. MIKHAILOV

electrocardiography

[i¦lek·trō‚kärd·ē′äg·rə·fē] (medicine) The medical specialty concerned with the production and interpretation of electrocardiograms.

electrocardiography


Electrocardiography

 

Definition

Electrocardiography is a commonly used, noninvasive procedure for recording electrical changes in the heart. The record, which is called an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), shows the series of waves that relate to the electrical impulses which occur during each beat of the heart. The results are printed on paper or displayed on a monitor. The waves in a normal record are named P, Q, R, S, and T and follow in alphabetical order. The number of waves may vary, and other waves may be present.

Purpose

Electrocardiography is a starting point for detecting many cardiac problems. It is used routinely in physical examinations and for monitoring the patient's condition during and after surgery, as well as during intensive care. It is the basic measurement used for tests such as exercise tolerance. It is used to evaluate causes of symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and palpitations.

Precautions

No special precautions are required.

Description

The patient disrobes from the waist up, and electrodes (tiny wires in adhesive pads) are applied to specific sites on the arms, legs, and chest. When attached, the electrodes are called leads; three to 12 leads may be employed.Muscle movement may interfere with the recording, which lasts for several beats of the heart. In cases where rhythm disturbances are suspected to be infrequent, the patient may wear a small Holter monitor in order to record continuously over a 24-hour period; this is known as ambulatory monitoring.

Preparation

The skin is cleaned to obtain good electrical contact at the electrode positions.

Aftercare

To avoid skin irritation from the salty gel used to obtain good electrical contact, the skin should be thoroughly cleaned after removal of the electrodes.

Risks

No complications from this procedure have been observed.

Normal results

When the heart is operating normally, each part contracts in a specific order. Contraction of the muscle is triggered by an electrical impulse. These electrical impulses travel through specialized cells that form a conduction system. Following this pathway ensures that contractions will occur in a coordinated manner.When the presence of all waves is observed in the electrocardiogram and these waves follow the order defined alphabetically, the heart is said to show a normal sinus rhythm, and impulses may be assumed to be following the regular conduction pathway.The heart is described as showing arrhythmia or dysrhythmia when time intervals between waves, the order, or the number of waves do not fit this pattern. Other features that may be altered include the direction of wave deflection and wave widths.In the normal heart, electrical impulses—at a rate of 60-100 times per minute—originate in the sinus node. The sinus node is located in the first chamber, known as the right atrium, where blood re-enters the heart. After traveling down to the junction between the upper and lower chambers, the signal stimulates the atrioventricular node. From here, after a delay, it passes by specialized routes through the lower chambers or ventricles. In many disease states, the passage of the electrical impulse can be interrupted in a variety of ways, causing the heart to perform less efficiently.

Abnormal results

Special training is required for interpretation of the electrocardiogram. To summarize the features used in interpretations in the simplest manner, the P wave of the electrocardiogram is associated with the contraction of the atria. The QRS series of waves, or QRS complex, is associated with ventricular contraction, with the T wave coming after the contraction. Finally, the P-Q or P-R interval gives a value for the time taken for the electrical impulse to travel from the atria to the ventricle (normally less than 0.2 sec).The cause of dysrhythmia is ectopic beats. Ectopic beats are premature heart beats that arise from a site other than the sinus node-commonly from the atria, atrioventricular node, or the ventricle. When these dysrhythmias are only occasional, they may produce no symptoms, or a feeling of the heart turning over or "flip-flopping" may be experienced. These occasional dysrhythmias are common in healthy people, but they also can be an indication of heart disease.The varied sources of dysrhythmias provide a wide range of alterations in the form of the electrocardiogram. Ectopic beats that start in the ventricle display an abnormal QRS complex. This can indicate disease associated with insufficient blood supply to the muscle (myocardial ischemia). Multiple ectopic sites lead to rapid and uncoordinated contractions of the atria or ventricles. This condition is known as fibrillation. In atrial fibrillation, P waves are absent, and the QRS complex appears at erratic intervals, or "irregularly irregular."When the atrial impulse fails to reach the ventricle, a condition known as heart block results. If this is partial, the P-R interval (the time for the impulse to reach the ventricle) is prolonged. If complete, the ventricles beat independently of the atria at about 40 beats per minute, and the QRS complex is mostly dissociated from the P wave.

Resources

Organizations

American Heart Association. 7320 Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX 75231. (214) 373-6300. http://www.americanheart.org.

Key terms

Ambulatory monitoring — ECG recording over a prolonged period during which the patient can move around.Arrhythmia or dysrhythmia — Abnormal rhythm in hearts that contract in an irregular way.ECG or EKG — A record of the waves that relates to the electrical impulses produced at each beat of the heart.Electrodes — Tiny wires in adhesive pads that are applied to the body for ECG measurement.Fibrillation — Rapid, uncoordinated contractions of the upper or the lower chambers of the heart.Lead — Name given the electrode when it is attached to the skin.

electrocardiography

 [e-lek″tro-kahr″de-og´rah-fe] the graphic recording from the body surface of the electric potential of currents generated by the heart, as a means of studying the action of the heart muscle. adj., adj electrocardiograph´ic. With the modern electrocardiograph, the current that accompanies the action of the heart is amplified 3000 times or more, and it moves a small, sensitively balanced lever in contact with moving paper. The pattern of heart waves that is traced on the paper indicates the heart's rhythm and other actions.ƒ
The normal electrocardiogram is composed of a P wave, Q, R, and S waves known as the qrs complex, or QRS wave, and a T wave. The P wave occurs at the beginning of each contraction of the atria. The QRS wave occurs at the beginning of each contraction of the ventricles. The T wave seen in a normal electrocardiogram occurs as the ventricles recover electrically and prepare for the next contraction. There is a refractory period between these waves during which the muscle is inexcitable; this period is usually about 0.30 second.
The electric impulses in the heart muscle are picked up and conducted to the electrocardiograph by electrodes or leads connected to the body by small metal plates or other methods. The metal plates are moistened with a conductive paste and attached to the arms, legs, and chest (cardiac area) of the patient.
Electrocardiography is a valuable diagnostic tool, used in some routine physical examinations and when a heart disorder occurs or is suspected. It helps diagnose the damage that may have been inflicted on the heart muscle by a coronary occlusion, the progress of rheumatic fever, the presence of abnormal rhythms, or the effect of digitalis or other drugs. An electrocardiogram cannot always detect impending heart disease or all cardiovascular disorders. The readings are interpreted together with the results of other diagnostic tests.

e·lec·tro·car·di·og·ra·phy

(ē-lek'trō-kar'dē-og'ră-fē), 1. A method of recording electrical currents traversing the heart muscle. 2. The study and interpretation of electrocardiograms.

e·lec·tro·car·di·og·ra·phy

(ĕ-lek'trō-kahr-dē-og'ră-fē) 1. A method of recording the electrical activity of the heart: impulse formation, conduction, depolarization, and repolarization of atria and ventricles. 2. The study and interpretation of electrocardiograms.

electrocardiography

Recording of the rapidly varying electric currents which can be detected as varying voltage differences between different points on the surface of the body, as a result of heart muscle contraction. The electrocardiograph (ECG) tracings show patterns highly indicative of a wide variety of heart disorders. Modern ECG machines usually carry out an automatic analysis of the waveform and suggest a diagnosis.

e·lec·tro·car·di·og·ra·phy

(ĕ-lek'trō-kahr-dē-og'ră-fē) 1. A method of recording the electrical activity of the heart: impulse formation, conduction, depolarization, and repolarization of atria and ventricles. 2. The study and interpretation of electrocardiograms.

electrocardiography


Related to electrocardiography: echocardiography, electroencephalography, angiography
  • noun

Synonyms for electrocardiography

noun diagnostic procedure consisting of recording the activity of the heart electronically with a cardiograph (and producing a cardiogram)

Synonyms

  • cardiography

Related Words

  • diagnostic procedure
  • diagnostic technique
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