Abbreviations

[AstroFish]

Please, I keep reading PIP on here - what is it? There are a lot of abbreviations I don't know. It's like another language and I need to learn it.

[bantam12]

Pill in pocket, so you only take it when symptoms crop up.

[AstroFish in reply to bantam12]

Aha! I'd never have come up with that, thanks!

[BobD Volunteer]

If you read down the pinned posts on the right hand side of your screen there is a comprehensive list of abreviations and acronyms. Lots of other useful posts there as well.

[Goosebumps in reply to BobD]

Bob

Well PIP is there , but

PPI

SVT

GERD

NSAIDS

QRS

NICE

Aren't and I see these regularly in posts.

It would also help I think if a few definitions could be added to the list

Persistent AF

Permanent AF

Failed cardioversion ; apparently this is a cardio version that hasn't worked for more than a few seconds, so newbies can then understand that if they have had a CV that has only lasted a few hours in NSR it doesn't count as failed, (kindly explained to me by Flapjack)

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Goosebumps]

Surely most of those are common useage with the possible exception of PPI (proton pump inhibitor which is nothing to do with AF. (stomach acid reducing drugs) and QRS which people should not be using as it defines part of an ECG trace and best left to experts?

NICE National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

NSAIDs Non steroidal anti inflamator drugs

GERD gastric reflux.

SVT supra ventricular tachycardia-- A fast arrhythmia.

For the record Permanent AF is merely Persistent AF where both patient and doctor agree to no longer try to obtain NSR. Persistent AF is when it lasts more than seven days or needs intervention to restore NSR.

All these are well explained in all the fact sheets on the main AF Association website and I'm sure admin are mindful of not adding to HUL (Health Unlocked ) already full pages. I have no control over such things I'm afraid.

[CDreamer in reply to BobD]

What is wrong with using QRS, QT interval etc on an arrythmia forum? You don’t need to be an expert to know what they mean - to interpret an ECG - of course!

[BobD Volunteer in reply to CDreamer]

Hi CD , I am always wary of using complex terms of which I have no real knowledge . Yes I know that the QRS complex is the spiky bit but what it actually means, no idea. Since few if any of us have been trained in understanding ECGs I can think of few occasions when it is appropriate.

What is a long QT interval in milli seconds? Not something I would like to even guess at. That is my point. Best left to experts. Personal opinion only of course.

One big problem which has been mentioned before and I am pretty sure you raised it once, is people coming here with other health issues and their own abbreviations and people who make up their own. Text abbreviations such as OH took me ages to work out! I frequently find I have to go to google to learn what something means. TTFN.( ta ta for now. )

[CDreamer in reply to BobD]

One good reason to know what it QRS means is that the first time I came across is when a doctor told me there was something unusual about my QRS. Maybe I am unusual but if I don’t understand something, I like to find out what it means = the QRS represents the electrical impulse as it passes through the ventricles.

Yes, I agree that when you don’t know acronyms it can be annoying but it can be quite enlightening when you find out.

Thank goodness for Google! (And beware of!).

Take care.

[siouxbee19 in reply to Goosebumps]

Just like Bob said and also...I Google everything I don't know, have learned so much that way! I used to use a good old hardback dictionary, until the Internet became widespread for home use. Yes, I am old!😂 But seriously, just a friendly suggestion...you can learn a lot as far as word meanings, definitions, etc...I know there's a lot of misinformation out there as well, but if you stick to "official" sites ( examples from U.S. - Mayo Clinic, NI H, CDC, American Heart Association, .gov sites, etc...), you can learn a lot!😁

[CDreamer]

QRS = referral points on an ECG trace - the bit that looks like a steep mountain.

[Palpman]

I rely very much on reading my own ECG but only the parts that affect me.

I take Flecainide so need to check the PR lengh and the duration of cQT. Due to my age and possible kidney problems I could get a build up of Flecainide to toxic levels and as I don't get my blood plasma levels checked for this, I have to check it on the ECG.

The normal max for cQT is about 440ms while mine is 480ms. At 500 and more one could go into dangerous ventricular fibrillation. Flecainide lengthens this duration as do antidepressants which I had to stop. Low potassium levels (hypokalemia) do as well.

I also have heart block, atrial enlargement and incomplete left bundle branch block so I monitor the P wave, PR duration and the QRS complex for widening.

The P wave is solely the action of both Atrials overlapping. A longer than normal P wave can be due to Atrial Enlargement. The absence of the P wave is typical of AFib. Many P waves between the QRS complexes is typical of AFlutter. (Saw tooth pattern)

The PR interval if longer than normal can be due to a delay between the action of the Atrials (P) and the action of the ventricles (Q). If longer than 120ms then you have heart block.

This is easy to understand and is an extremely small part of what can be seen by cardiologists but it affects me and is all I need to know.

I must also add that excessive Flecainide in the blood plasma can mimic the above conditions and the cessation of it will bring things back to normal.