fibrillation

fib·ril·la·tion   (fĭb'rə-lā'shən, fī'brə-)    n.   The forming of fibers. Fine, rapid twitching of individual muscle fibers with little or no movement of the muscle as a whole. Rapid uncoordinated twitching movements that replace the normal rhythmic contraction of the heart and may cause a lack of circulation and pulse.

Main Entry: fi·bril·la·tion
Pronunciation: "fib-r&-'lA-sh&n, "fIb-
Function: noun
1 : an act or process of formingfibers or fibrils
2 a : a muscular twitching involving individual muscle fibers acting without coordination b : very rapid irregular contractions of the musclefibers of the heart resulting in a lack of synchronism between heartbeat and pulse —see ATRIAL FIBRILLATION, VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION

fibrillation fib·ril·la·tion (fĭb'rə-lā'shən, fī'brə-)
n.

1. Fine, rapid twitching of individual muscle fibers with little or no movement of the muscle as a whole.

2. The formation of fibrils.

3. Vermicular twitching, usually slow, of individual muscular fibers, commonly occurring in the atria or ventricles of the heart and in recently denervated skeletal muscle fibers.

fibrillation   (fĭb'rə-lā'shən)  Pronunciation Key  A rapid twitching of muscle fibers, as of the heart, that is caused by the abnormal discharge of electrical nerve impulses. Ventricular fibrillation is life-threatening.