AF abbreviations

[ChrissieMT]

it is so helpful to read others experiences but I do get a little confused with all the abbreviations used, some of which I am totally unfamiliar!

[Buzby62]

You can reply to any post or reply and ask if you don’t understand something, someone will be glad to reply to you and it will help others reading.

You may find the answers in the patient resources on this link heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...

The AF fact file and FAQ sheets are very good and don’t be afraid to ask on here, there’s no stupid questions.

Best wishes

[baba]

This might help

healthunlocked.com/afassoci...

[BobD Volunteer]

If you look at pinned posts on right of main screen there is a guide to commonly used ones. Personally, if I use one such as QOL (quality of life), I always do that first time round. Unfortunately there are people who either make up their own abreviations or use one or more from another health issue not covered by this forum. I often have to google some strange condition or other so you are not alone in finding this tiresome.

[jeanjeannie50]

Heart medical abbreviations are listed on the side of this page under Pinned Posts.

Here is the link to it:

healthunlocked.com/afassoci...

I quite often go onto Google and find out what some abbreviations mean.

All so confusing at times isn't it!

Jean

[108cat in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks to Chrissie for the question and jeanjeannie for sharing Tracy's list of acronmyms I hadn't seen that, so that was very helpful ...

Best wishes

[Bagrat]

Even for medical souls abbreviations canbe difficult. When I was nursing, a fellow nurse had written in notes HNPU (Very common abbreviation for important post operative function , has not passed urine) DNT. None of us had a clue. We asked her, the response "Did not try". Abbreviations do slow down understanding, or cause misunderstandings. PAF is it paroxysmal AF or Permanent AF ?? I always assume the former.

[ozziebob in reply to Bagrat]

Yes, I always use pAF to indicate my paroxysmal AF, mainly because I have considered paroxysmal as the "lesser" form of AF.

Of course I hadn't considered the obvious confusion you mention (doh!) with "p"ermanent AF.🤔 So, can I suggest, in line with my previous nomenclature, that this "greater" form of permanent AF is given the abbreviation PAF.

Makes sense, but probably only to me, in my small world of one. And where "p"ersistent AF fits into my scheme is beyond my abilities at the moment.

[Ppiman]

Same here, Chrissie. Here are the ones I know:

- AF / AFib / PAF = paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (= one kind of left atrial misconduction giving any heart rate but always irregular, usually 100+; can also be "persistent" or "permanent")

- AFl / flutter = atrial flutter (= right atrial misconnection giving a fixed, stepwise heart rate of 300 / 150 / 100, etc.)

SVT = supra-ventricular tachycardia (= a fast pulse originating in the top of the heart (= safer and is what AF and AFl can cause)

PVC = premature ventricular contraction = the ventricle beating too soon (= a mis-timed or "ectopic" beat)

PAC = premature atrial contraction (as above but originating in the atria).

PM = pacemaker (= CIED = cardiac implantable electronic devices); PPM = permanent PM; ICD = implanted cardioverter type PM to convert arrhythmias.

SN = sinus node = bundle of cells in the left atrium that acts as the natural pacemaker setting off the atrium to contract and pump blood to the ventricles (the SN creates the first small blip on an ECG, missing in AF)

AVN = atrioventricular node = bundle of cells atop the ventricles that act as the "second" natural pacemaker causing the heartbeat.

HF = heart failure (= heart output lower that is lower than it should be)

CHF = congestive heart failure (a lower heart output that will worsen over time)

BB / RBBB / LBBB = right and left bundle block = misconduction from the

COPD = a kind of late onset "asthma" or other breathing issue in the lungs reducing oxygen / carbon dioxide exchange

IHD = ischaemic heart disease (= areas of the heart lacking oxygenated blood)

LVH - left ventricular hypertrophy (= enlargement and stretching of the lower left chamber heart - also RVH)

MI = myocardial infarction (= dead areas of the heart muscle)

MR = mitral regurgitation (= a weakened heart valve)

PE = pulmonary embolism (= blood clot in the lungs)

LA / RA = left and right atrium

LV / RV = left and right ventricle

VT / Tach = ventricular tachycardia (= over-fast rhythm originating in the ventricles = a potentially dangerous rhythm)

Steve

[2learn]

Hi, I agree about abbreviations and what makes it worse is the way goggle works. So if you search for an abbreviation you may get pages of companies who use same abb as their logo.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

If this happens whilst on the Forum go into Goggle and goggle it.

What are you not understanding.

bpm - beats per minute

AF - Atrial Fibrillation - Irregular Heat Beat

BB - Beta Blockers

CCB - Calcium Channel Blockers

HA - Heart Attack

HF - Heart Failure

Some of them.

cheri. JOY. 75. (NZ)