What it means
Named after Jan Purkinje, the Czech scientist who described them. They are the last part of the heart's conductionkun-DUK-shunThe passing of something, such as an electrical signal or heat, from one place to another through a material.Full entry system: the signal travels from the SA node to the AV node, down the bundle branches and out through the Purkinje fibers, and the ventricles then squeeze together. This spread of the signal makes the QRS complexKYOO-ar-es KOM-pleksThe tall, spiky wave on an ECG that shows the electrical signal spreading through the ventricles.Full entry on the ECG.
At a glance
| Spanish | fibras de Purkinje |
|---|---|
| Also written | Purkinje fiber |
Related terms
electrocardiogram
A test that records the heart's electrical activity as waves on paper or a screen.
ventricle
One of the two lower chambers of the heart, or one of the fluid-filled spaces inside the brain.
conduction
The passing of something, such as an electrical signal or heat, from one place to another through a material.
QRS complex
The tall, spiky wave on an ECG that shows the electrical signal spreading through the ventricles.