dictionary help| sinus tachycardia | medical dictionary |
A fast heartbeat (tachycardia) occurring because of rapid firing by the sa node, the natural pacemaker of the heart. Electrical signals initiated in the sa node are transmitted to the atria and the ventricles to stimulate heart muscle contractions heartbeats. Sinus tachycardia is usually a rapid contraction of a normal heart in response to a condition, drug, or disease as, for examples, pain, fever, excessive thyroid hormone, exertion, excitement, low blood oxygen level (hypoxia), or stimulant drugs such as caffeine, cocaine, and amphetamines. However, in some cases, it can be a sign of heart failure, heart valve disease, or other illness.
(12 Dec 1998)
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