A premature contraction of the heart. It can be caused by nervousness, indigestion, a tired and enlarged heart-anything up to an overt organic heart disease.
An extra heart beat, systole.
Premature contraction of the heart.
Premature contraction of the heart; depending on the site of origin and the clinical picture, may be a normal variant or may indicate organic and potentially severe heart disease.
Extrasystole is a term applied to premature contraction of one or more of the chambers of the heart. A beat of the heart occurs sooner than it should do in the ordinary rhythm, and is followed by a longer rest than usual before the next beat. In an extrasystole, the stimulus to contraction arises in a part of the heart other than the usual. Extrasystoles often give rise to an unpleasant sensation as of the heart stumbling over a beat, but their occurrence is not usually serious.
Premature contraction of the heart. It may occur in the presence or absence of organic heart disease. It may be of reflex origin or may be triggered by stimulants (e.g., caffeine, cocaine, or theophylline), hypoxia, psychological stress, electrolyte abnormalities, thyroid disorders, or myocardial infarction.
Extrasystole is a heart contraction that occurs out of sync with the heart’s regular rhythm. It is triggered by an electrical impulse originating from a part of the heart different from the sinoatrial node, the heart’s natural pacemaker.
An early heartbeat. When these occurrences happen repeatedly, the patient may describe a sensation of the heart thumping and pounding, often referred to as palpitations.