Definition of defibrillation Defibrillation

de•fi•bril•la•tion

We found 5 definitions of defibrillation from 5 different sources.

What does defibrillation mean?

Plural: defibrillations

defibrillation - treatment by stopping fibrillation of heart muscles (usually by electric shock delivered by a defibrillator)

medical aid, medical care professional treatment for illness or injury

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

defibrillation (Noun)
The stopping of the fibrillation of the heart in order to restore normal contractions, especially by the use of an electric shock.

defibrillation
The definitive treatment for the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. (source: Wikipedia)

Defibrillation is the act of defibrillating the heart to try treat ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Defibrillation works by delivering a controlled electric current to the heart, which depolarises a critical mass of the heart muscle, which stops the arrhythmia and allows a coordinated heart rhythm to return. Defibrillation may be administered outside the body with the use of an external defibrillator or an automated external defibrillator, or inside the body with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

The first use on a human was in 1947 by Claude Beck, professor of surgery at Case Western Reserve University.