|
Glossary
P
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Pacemaker (artificial) |
A surgically implanted device that maintains the heart rhythm with timed electrical impulses. It is used in people who have disorders of the electrical system in the heart. |
| Pacemaker Lead |
The wires that connect the battery to the electrodes in a pacemaker. |
| pacing |
small electrical impulses provided by a pacemaker or ICD that tell your heart when to beat; used in patients who have or are at risk for abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) |
| Palliative therapy |
Treatments that are aimed at relieving the symptoms of an illness rather than curing the ailment itself; provided to women with advanced heart disease near the end of life |
| Palpitations |
A feeling that the heart is pounding against the chest. It is often caused by irregular, strong, or rapid heartbeats. |
| Paralysis |
Inability to move a part of the body; common on one side of the body after a stroke |
| Paroxysmal |
Describes a symptom that comes and goes; one kind of atrial fibrillation |
| Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea |
A difficulty in breathing, occurring intermittently and suddenly when a person is lying down. |
| Paroxysmal tachycardia |
A sudden increase in heart rate from the normal 60 to 80 beats per minute to 130 to 260 beats per minute. It can last anywhere from a few minutes to several days. |
| Patency rate |
The likelihood that a vessel will remain open, or patent. |
| Patent foramen ovale (PFO) |
A common congenital heart defect found in 1 in 4 adults; may be responsible for many unexplained strokes |
| pentoxifylline |
a medication to treat peripheral artery disease by relieving leg pain symptoms and improving walking ability; less effective than cilostazol |
| Percutaneous |
Performed through the skin. |
| Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) |
A general term used for balloon angioplasty, stent implantation, and atherectomy procedures. |
| Percutaneous transmyocardial revascularization (PMR) |
A nonsurgical procedure used as a last resort to treat chest pain, similar to TMR. See Transmyocardial revascularization (TMR). |
