Electroanesthesia - Electrolytes, Direct Measurement of

electroanesthesia

(ĕ-lek″trō-an″ĕs-thē′ zhă) [electro- + anesthesia] General anesthesia produced by a device that passes electricity of a certain frequency, amplitude, and wave form into an organism.

electrobiology

(ĕ-lek″trō-bī-ol′ŏ-jē) [electro- + biology] The study of electrical phenomena in the living body. electrobiological (ĕ-lek″trō-bī-ŏ-loj′ĭ-kăl), adj.

electrocardiogram

(ē-lĕk′trō-kăr′dē-ō-grăm″) [″ + kardia, heart, + gramma, something written] ABBR: ECG. A record of the electrical activity of the heart, consisting of waves called P, Q, R, S, T, and sometimes U. The first, or P, wave is caused by the depolarization of the atria, whose electrical changes in turn cause atrial contraction. The Q, R, and S waves (QRS complex) correspond to depolarization of ventricular muscle. The T wave corresponds to ventricular repolarization. The electrocardiogram gives important information concerning the spread of electricity to the different parts of the heart and is used to diagnose rhythm and conduction disturbances, myocardial infarction or ischemia, chamber enlargement, and metabolic disorders, among others.

 exercise e. A record of the electrical activity of the heart taken during graded increases in the rate of exercise. SEE: stress test.

 signal-averaged e. ABBR: SAECG. An electrocardiographic study, usually performed on patients with unexplained loss of consciousness or suspected dysrhythmias, in which hundreds of QRS complexes are collected, filtered, and analyzed to discover the presence or absence of certain abnormalities in the conducting system of the ventricle. These abnormalities, called late potentials, point to an increased risk of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. The signal-averaging technique allows late potentials to be examined free from random electrical discharges ("noise"), which often are present when only a small number of QRS complexes are evaluated.

electrocardiograph

(ē-lĕk″trō-kăr′ dē-ŏ-grăf) [″ + ″ + graphein, to write] A device for recording changes in the electrical energy produced by the action of heart muscles.

electrocardiographical technician

A technician who operates and maintains electrocardiographic machines, records the heart's electrical activity, and provides data for diagnosis and treatment of heart ailments.

electrocardiography

(ē-lĕk″trō-kăr″dē-ŏg′ră-fē) The creation and study of graphic records (electrocardiograms) produced by electric currents originating in the heart.

electrocautery

(ē-lĕk″trō-kaw′ tĕr-ē) [electro- + cautery] Cauterization using a variety of electrical modalities to create thermal energy, including a directly heated metallic applicator, or bipolar or monopolar electrodes.

electrocerebral silence

(ĕ-lĕk″trō-sa-rē′ brĭl, sĕr′ĭ) In electroencephalography (EEG), the absence of detectable electrical activity in the cortex of the brain. The EEG tracing shows no deflections from its baseline. This finding is diagnostic of brain death.

electroceutical

(ĕ-lek″trŏ-soot′ĭ-kăl) [electro- + (pharma)ceutical] Any device that uses electrical ...