impulse

impulse /im·pulse/ (im´puls)

1. a sudden pushing force.

2. a sudden uncontrollable determination to act.

3. nerve i.

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cardiac impulse  movement of the chest wall caused by the heart beat.

ectopic impulse 

1. the impulse that causes an ectopic beat.

2. a pathologic nerve impulse that begins in the middle of an axon and proceeds simultaneously towards the cell body and the periphery.

nerve impulse  the electrochemical process propagated along nerve fibers.

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im·pulse (mpls)

n.

1. A sudden pushing or driving force.

2. A sudden wish or urge that prompts an unpremeditated act or feeling; an abrupt inclination.

3. The electrochemical transmission of a signal along a nerve fiber that produces an excitatory or inhibitory response at a target tissue.

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impulse,

n chiropractic technique characterized by a short, quick thrust.

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impulse,

n a surge of electric current for a short time span; e.g., in a 60-cycle AC current, there are 120 impulses per second. See also impression, maxillary.

impulse, muscle,

n a wave of excitation along a muscle fiber initiated at the neuromuscular endplate; accompanied by chemical and electrical changes at the surface of the muscle fiber and by activation of the contractile elements of the muscle fiber; detectable electronically (electromyographically); and followed by a transient refractory period.

impulse, nerve,

n a wave of excitation along a nerve fiber initiated by a stimulus; accompanied by chemical and electrical changes at the surface of the nerve fiber and followed by a transient refractory period during which further stimulation has no effect.

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impulse

1. a sudden pushing force.

2. a sudden uncontrollable act.

3. a nerve impulse.

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cardiac impulse

movement of the chest wall caused by the heartbeat. Called also apex beat.

nerve impulse

the electrochemical process propagated along nerve fibers.