Cardioversion is a therapy used to restore an abnormal heart rhythm to a normal rhythm. It is most commonly used for tachyarrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Cardioversion can be electrical (a synchronized shock) or pharmacologic (antiarrhythmic medication). It is a common tool in emergency care, inpatient cardiology, and elective outpatient rhythm management.
Defibrillation is an emergency therapy that delivers an electrical shock to the heart. It is used to terminate certain life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. It is a procedure in acute care and resuscitation medicine, most often during cardiac arrest. It is commonly performed with an automated external defibrillator (AED) or a manual defibrillator in emergency departments, inpatient units, and prehospital settings.
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy is a device-based therapy used to improve the timing of heart muscle contraction. It is most commonly used in selected patients with heart failure and electrical conduction delay on electrocardiogram (ECG). It works by pacing both ventricles to reduce mechanical dyssynchrony and support more coordinated pumping. It sits at the intersection of cardiac electrophysiology, heart failure management, and implantable device therapy.
An Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator is a small cardiac device designed to detect and treat dangerous fast heart rhythms. It is a therapy and procedure used in electrophysiology and heart failure care to reduce risk from life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. It is most commonly used in patients with cardiomyopathy, prior myocardial infarction (MI), or inherited arrhythmia syndromes. It functions as continuous internal monitoring with the ability to deliver pacing or shocks when needed.
A Pacemaker is an implanted electronic device that helps control heart rhythm. It is a therapy used in cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology. It is most often used for clinically important bradycardia (slow heart rate) or conduction disease. It is commonly encountered in emergency care, inpatient cardiology, and long-term outpatient follow-up.
A Bioprosthetic Valve is a heart valve replacement made from biological tissue. It is a therapeutic device used in structural heart disease and cardiothoracic surgery. It most commonly replaces the aortic valve or mitral valve when native valve function is severely impaired. It can be implanted surgically or via transcatheter procedures, depending on anatomy and clinical context.
A Mechanical Valve is an artificial heart valve implanted to replace a diseased native valve. It is a device used in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery to restore one-way blood flow through the heart. It most commonly replaces the aortic valve or mitral valve when repair is not suitable. It is designed for long-term function but usually requires lifelong anticoagulation.
Valve Repair is a procedure that restores a native heart valve so it opens and closes more normally. It is a therapy and surgical or transcatheter intervention used in structural heart disease. It is most commonly discussed for mitral regurgitation, tricuspid regurgitation, and selected aortic valve problems. It is used in cardiothoracic surgery and, in some cases, catheter-based structural heart programs.
Valve Replacement is a procedure that substitutes a diseased heart valve with a prosthetic valve. It is a therapy used in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery to treat clinically significant valvular heart disease. It is most commonly performed for aortic stenosis and severe regurgitant lesions that cannot be adequately repaired. It is delivered via surgical or transcatheter approaches depending on anatomy, risk, and clinical context.
CABG stands for coronary artery bypass grafting. It is a surgical procedure used to improve blood flow to the heart muscle. CABG is part of cardiothoracic surgery and treats coronary artery disease (CAD). It is commonly discussed in angina, myocardial infarction (MI) workups, and revascularization planning.