Fluke Biomedical ProSim 6 - Manual (Page 97)

Glossary
Introduction
A
A-3
AV Node
Also called the atrioventricular node. Located in the right atrium near the septum.
Conducts the electrical impulse in the heart to the bundle of His, which passes it on to the
left- and right-bundle branches.
Baud
A unit of measurement that denotes the number of discrete signal elements, such as bits,
that can be transmitted per second. Bits-persecond (bps) means the number of binary
digits transmitted in one second.
Bigeminy
Two sequences: a PVC followed by a normal beat, or a PVC followed by two normal
beats. Bigeminy—also called a fixed coupling or bigeminal rhythm—is a type of PVC in
which a beat with a normal QRS complex alternates with a PVC; in other words, every
other beat is premature. In trigeminy, which is similar to bigeminy, a PVC appears after
every two normal QRS complexes.
Blood Pressure
The pressure of the blood within the arteries, primarily maintained by contraction of the
left ventricle.
BPM
Beats per minute. SEE pulse.
Bundle-Branch Block
Blockage in the right- or left-bundle branches, with beats exhibiting a wide QRS and a
PR interval of 160 ms. Bundle-branch blockage—also referred to as intraventricular
conduction defect, BBB or IVCD—is a form of heart block in which there is a
conduction delay or failure from one of the branches of the bundle of His (which start
about a centimeter below the bundle of His) to the Purkinje network. The blockage may
be complete or incomplete, transient, intermittent, or permanent. In most cases, the
electrical impulse travels through the normal bundle branch to stimulate one ventricle and
then passes through the cardiac septum to stimulate the other, resulting in one ventricle’s
depolarizing later than the other. (Both anatomically and functionally, the septum
separates the heart into its left and right halves.)
Bundle Of HIS
A collection of nerves (about 1 cm in length) that lies just below the AV node in the heart.
Part of the heart’s electrical conduction system. With the AV node, forms the AV
junction. Below the bundle, the nerves divide into left and right branches.
Computational Constant
Pertaining to cardiac output. Sometimes called calibration coefficient.
Cardiac
Of, near, or pertaining to the heart.
Cardiovascular
Of, pertaining to, or involving the heart and the blood vessels.
Capillary
One of the minute blood vessels that connect the arteries and veins.
DC component
See R-Value
ECG
An electrocardiogram (ECG) records the electrical signals of the muscles of the heart—
the depolarization and repolarization of the myocardium. Wires from an ECG machine