A maneuver that stimulates the Vagus nerve; possible maneuvers include a Valsalva maneuver (bearing down), ice thrust in ice water, anal stimulation, and carotid massage;

Valves act as gates ensuring unidirectional blood flow. They are located between the atria and ventricles as well as between the ventricles and the major

Ventricular bigeminy is named after premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) that happen every second beat. This can happen with alternating sinus or junctional complexes so it

The specialized bundle branches and Purkinje network facilitate rapid conductivity. The bundle branches and Purkinje network are composed of Purkinje fibers, specialized cardiac cells that

Wide QRS complexes arriving early without preceding P waves are likely premature ventricular complexes (PVC). When the PVC comes in pairs, they are called ventricular

The depolarization of the myocardium is represented on an ECG by a series of waveforms, one for atrial depolarization and soon after a larger waveform

In the absence of nodal activity, sinus node or AV node, the ventricles can serve as a backup pacemaker at the much reduced rate of

A chaotic unorganized cardiac rhythm with several firing regions within the ventricles; the result is uncoordinated ventricular activity and NO cardiac output – a lethal

Ventricular hypertrophy is reflected in QRS axis deviation towards the hypertrophied ventricle, increased amplitude in the QRS complex, altered R wave progression, and possibly signs

The T wave is a graphic representation of the repolarization of the ventricle. The T wave is typically about 0.10 to 0.25 seconds wide with

A cardiac rhythm with the impulse originating in the ventricles and an absence of atrial activity (no P waves); heart rate is 20-40/minute; cardiac output

Ventricular standstill identifies a rhythm with P waves but without QRS complexes. Blood flow ceases. A third degree AV block can precede ventricular standstill, with