cardiac massage

n. A resuscitative procedure that employs the rhythmic compression of the chest and heart in an effort to restore and maintain the circulation after cardiac arrest or ventricular fibrillation. Also called heart massage.

Thesaurus

Noun

cardiac massage - an emergency procedure that employs rhythmic compression of the heart (either through the chest wall or, during surgery, directly to the heart) in an attempt to maintain circulation during cardiac arrestheart massageemergency procedure - (medicine) a procedure adopted to meet an emergency (especially a medical emergency)massage - kneading and rubbing parts of the body to increase circulation and promote relaxationcardiac resuscitation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR, kiss of life, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation - an emergency procedure consisting of external cardiac massage and artificial respiration; the first treatment for a person who has collapsed and has no pulse and has stopped breathing; attempts to restore circulation of the blood and prevent death or brain damage due to lack of oxygen

Translations

Cardiac Massage

cardiac massage

[′kärd·ē‚ak mə′säzh] (medicine) Rhythmic compression of the heart by a physician or other person in the effort to maintain effective circulation following heart failure.

Cardiac Massage

in cases of cardiac arrest, a method of resuscitation involving the rhythmic compression of the heart.

There are two types of cardiac massage—open and closed. Open cardiac massage is performed surgically, through an opening in the chest wall. In closed cardiac massage, which is a form of emergency first aid, both hands are used to apply rhythmic pressure to the victim’s chest. One palm is placed over the other, and the arms are kept straightened at the elbows. The full body weight is used to press down. The victim should be on his back on a hard surface, and 50 to 60 compressions should be applied every minute. The index and middle fingers are used to administer closed cardiac massage on newborns and infants, whereas one hand is used for children up to approximately 12 years of age.

At each compression of the heart, blood enters the vessels of the systemic and pulmonary circulation systems. The heart fills with blood from the major veins when pressure is released. Cardiac massage reinstates circulation and maintains the vital functions of the body. It stimulates the activity of the cardiac muscle and helps restore independent cardiac contractility. Artificial respiration is administered with cardiac massage.

REFERENCES

Chervinskii, A. A., Iu. N. Bokarev, and Iu. I. Malyshev. Osnovy prakticheskoi reanimatologii. Moscow, 1968.
Buianov, V. M. Pervaia meditsinskaia pomoshch’, 2nd ed. Moscow, 1974.
Osnovy reanimatologii, 2nd ed. Edited by V. A. Negovskii. Moscow, 1975.

V. F. POZHARISKII

cardiac massage

massage

[mah-sahzh´] systematic therapeutic stroking or kneading of the body.cardiac massage intermittent compression of the heart by pressure applied either over the sternum (closed cardiac massage) or directly to the heart through an opening in the chest wall (open cardiac massage).simple massage in the nursing interventions classification, a intervention" >nursing intervention defined as stimulation of the skin and underlying tissues with varying degrees of hand pressure to decrease pain, produce relaxation, and/or improve circulation.vibratory massage massage by rapidly repeated light percussion with a vibrating hammer or sound.

heart mas·sage

rhythmic massage of the heart either in an open chest or through the chest wall to renew failed circulation during cardiac resuscitation. Synonym(s): cardiac massage

cardiac massage

heart mas·sage

(hahrt mă-sahzh') Rhythmic massage of the heart either in an open chest or through the chest wall to renew failed circulation during cardiac resuscitation.
Synonym(s): cardiac massage.

cardiac massage

Deliberate repeated compression of the heart so as to maintain the blood circulation when the heart has stopped beating (CARDIAC ARREST). In external cardiac masssage, the heart is repeatedly compressed between the back of the breast bone and the front of the spine by pressure on the front of the chest. In internal massage, the heart is exposed and squeezed with the hand.

heart mas·sage

(hahrt mă-sahzh') Rhythmic massage of the heart either in an open chest or through the chest wall to renew failed circulation during cardiac resuscitation.
Synonym(s): cardiac massage.

cardiac massage

noun

Synonyms for cardiac massage

noun an emergency procedure that employs rhythmic compression of the heart (either through the chest wall or, during surgery, directly to the heart) in an attempt to maintain circulation during cardiac arrest

Synonyms

heart massage

Related Words

emergency procedure
massage
cardiac resuscitation
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CPR
kiss of life
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation