beat

[bēt]

a throb or pulsation, as of the heart or of an artery.

apex beat the beat felt over the apex of the heart in the point of maximal impulse.

atrial beat an ectopic beat originating in an atrium.

capture beat

1. a heartbeat resulting from the production of a ventricular complex by a supraventricular source following a period of atrioventricular dissociation.

2. in cardiac pacing terminology, the successful pacing of the heart by a pulse generator.

dropped beat absence of one ventricular contraction.

echo beat reciprocal beat.

ectopic beat a heartbeat originating at some point other than the sinus node.

escape beat (escaped beat) heartbeats that follow an abnormally long pause.

forced beat an extrasystole produced by artificial stimulation of the heart.

fusion beat in electrocardiography, a P or QRS complex that results from the concurrent activation of the atria or the ventricles by two stimuli in the same chambers. An atrial fusion beat results when the sinus beat coincides with an atrial ectopic beat, when two atrial ectopic beats coincide, or when an atrial or sinus beat coincides with retrograde conduction from a junctional focus. A ventricular fusion beat results when a ventricular beat coincides with a sinus beat, a ventricular ectopic beat, or a junctional beat.

junctional beat an ectopic beat originating at the atrioventricular junction; see also junctional rhythm.

premature beat a cardiac event resulting from discharge by an atrial, junctional, or ventricular focus before the next expected sinus beat and at an interval from the last sinus beat that is shorter than its own intrinsic rhythm.

reciprocal beat a heartbeat resulting from an atrial or ventricular complex caused by a return of an impulse to its chamber of origin; called also echo beat.

sinus beat a heartbeat with sinus rhythm.

ventricular beat an ectopic beat originating in a ventricle.

a·pex beat

the visible and/or palpable pulsation made by the apex of the left ventricle as it strikes the chest wall in systole; normally in the fifth intercostal space, about 10 cm to the left of the median line.

apex beat

Apical thrust, cardiac impulse Cardiology A cardiac pulsation that corresponds to the impact of the apex–left ventricular as it rotates forward during systole; the AB is palpable or visible on the anterior chest wall in the 5^th left intercostal space, and may be displaced by heart–eg enlarged right ventricle or aortic aneurysm or lung–eg dilated pulmonary artery disease. See Apexcardiography.

a·pex beat

(ā'peks bēt)

The visible and/or palpable pulsation made by the apex of the left ventricle as it strikes the chest wall in systole; normally in the fifth intercostal space, about 10 cm to the left of the median line.
Synonym(s): ictus cordis.

apex beat

The furthest outward and downward point at which a finger laid on the chest is lifted with each heart beat. Displacement to the left usually indicates enlargement of the heart.