Word parts
What it means
The heart has stopped: no electrical signal, no contraction, no pulse. On a heart monitor it looks like a flat or almost flat line. It is a form of cardiac arrest. It is not treated with a shock from a defibrillator; treatment is CPR and epinephrine while the team looks for a reversible cause.
For the nurse
Check the client first: a flat line can be a loose lead. If the client is unresponsive with no pulse, call for help and start cardiopulmonary resuscitationkar-dee-oh-PUL-muh-nair-ee rih-sus-ih-TAY-shunEmergency chest compressions, with or without rescue breaths, to keep blood flowing when the heart has stopped.cardi/o heartpulmon/o lung-ary relating toresuscitation bringing back to lifeFull entry at once. Confirm asystole in more than one monitor lead.
At a glance
| Spanish | asistolia |
|---|---|
| Also written | asystolic |
Related terms
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Emergency chest compressions, with or without rescue breaths, to keep blood flowing when the heart has stopped.
epinephrine
A hormone and drug, also called adrenaline, that raises heart rate and blood pressure and opens the airways.
ventricular fibrillation
A heart rhythm in which the lower chambers quiver in a fast, chaotic way instead of pumping.
sinus rhythm
A heart rhythm that starts in the sinoatrial node, the heart's natural pacemaker.