Wiktionary
n. (context pathology English) Condition where the cardiac muscle is contracted irregularly and rapidly.
WordNet
n. fibrillation of heart muscles resulting in interference with rhythmic contractions of the ventricles and possibly leading to cardiac arrest
Wikipedia
Ventricular fibrillation (V-fib or VF) is a condition in which there is uncoordinated contraction of the cardiac muscle of the ventricles in the heart, making them quiver rather than contract properly. Because there is no co-ordinated contraction of the ventricles, there is no significant cardiac output, thus fulfilling the conditions of a cardiac arrest. It is the most commonly identified arrhythmia in cardiac arrest patients, and requires prompt treatment if identified on electrocardiography. Left untreated, ventricular fibrillation will quickly degenerate into asystole and is associated with a high mortality. Patients who are not revived soon enough (within about five minutes at room temperature) can sustain irreversible brain damage and can become brain-dead, because of cerebral hypoxia.
Usage examples of "ventricular fibrillation".
You were facing pulmonary edema, ventricular fibrillation, the loss of a few of your bits.
A badly damaged heart, unable to pump properly, likely to go into ventricular fibrillation.
I just heard a nurse say that an old guy who was drinking coffee in the cafeteria stopped breathing and then died of a big heart attack, ventricular fibrillation, before they could do anything with him!
At levels of over a hundred, by the way, the subject usually goes into ventricular fibrillation and, unfortunately, dies.
For the presence of any electrical equipment in her vicinity sent her into ventricular fibrillation, and without immediate aid she would die.
There were two quick heartbeat* followed by ventricular fibrillation.