Library / English Dictionary

DEFIBRILLATOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An electronic device that administers an electric shock of preset voltage to the heart through the chest wall in an attempt to restore the normal rhythm of the heart during ventricular fibrillation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("defibrillator" is a kind of...):

electronic device (a device that accomplishes its purpose electronically)

Derivation:

defibrillate (stop the fibrillation and restore normal contractions, usually by means of electric shocks)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The cardiac rhythm device malfunction affected the defibrillator.

(Cardiac Defibrillator Malfunction, NCI Thesaurus/ACC)

The conversion of one cardiac rhythm or electrical pattern to another, almost always from an abnormal to a normal one, by pharmacologic means using medications or by electrical cardioversion using a defibrillator.

(Cardioversion, NCI Thesaurus)

A device that malfunctions because it was incorrectly installed, set-up, or configured (e.g., misconfiguration of an automatic defibrillator to semi-automatic leading to failure)

(Device Installation Problem Evaluation Result, Food and Drug Administration)

Also called implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

(ICD, NCI Dictionary)

If your arrhythmia is serious, you may need a cardiac pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).

(Pacemakers and Implantable Defibrillators, NIH)