Which term describes a process of restarting the heart to eliminate an abnormal rhythm?

Which term describes a process of restarting the heart to eliminate an abnormal rhythm?

• A. A process of restarting the heart to eliminate an abnormal rhythm
• B. A moving clump of platelets
• C. Ballooning of arterial walls due to weakness
• D. Chest pain due to hypoxemia of the heart

Answer: (A)

Defibrillation is the term that fits this description. It uses a controlled electric shock to depolarize a large portion of the heart muscle, which interrupts the chaotic electrical activity of dangerous rhythms like ventricular fibrillation. By momentarily resetting the electrical activity, the heart can resume a normal rhythm guided by the heart’s natural pacemaker. This concept is distinct from a thrombus (a moving clot of platelets), an aneurysm (ballooning of a weakened arterial wall), or angina (chest pain from myocardial ischemia).

Defibrillation is the term that fits this description. It uses a controlled electric shock to depolarize a large portion of the heart muscle, which interrupts the chaotic electrical activity of dangerous rhythms like ventricular fibrillation. By momentarily resetting the electrical activity, the heart can resume a normal rhythm guided by the heart’s natural pacemaker. This concept is distinct from a thrombus (a moving clot of platelets), an aneurysm (ballooning of a weakened arterial wall), or angina (chest pain from myocardial ischemia).