A list of abbreviations commonly used in cardiology

  • DFT- Defibrillation threshold testing
  • VT- Ventricular tachycardia
  • VF- Ventricular fibrillation
  • AF- Atrial fibrillation
  • EKG/ECG- Electrocardiogram
  • PVC- Premature Ventricular Contraction
  • PAC- Premature Atrial Contraction
  • ICD- Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
  • CRT- Cardiac resynchronization therapy
  • LVAD- Left ventricular assist device
  • EP- Electrophysiology
  • CPR– cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • DCM- dilated cardiomyopathy
  • HCM- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • LBBB- left bundle branch block
  • MI- myocardial infarction
  • QTc- corrected QT interval
  • RBBB- Right bundle branch block
  • SVT- supraventricular tachycardia
  • PLSVC- Persistent Left superior vena cava
  • WPW- Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome
  • LQTS- Long QT syndrome
  • CPVT- Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
  • BrS- Brugada Sydome
  • SQTS- Short QT sydrome
  • ARVD/C-Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy
  • VUS- Variant of unknown significance
  • CHF- Cardiac Heart Failure
  • LCSD- Left Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation
  • SCA- Sudden Cardiac Arrest
  • SCD- Sudden Cardiac Death
  • SICD- Subcutaneous Internal Cardiac Defibrillator
  • ATP- Antitachycardia Pacing
  • BB- Beta Blocker
  • CHD- Congenital Heart Disease
  • EF- Ejection Fraction
  • IST- Inappropriate sinus tachycardia
  • NSVT- non sustained Ventricular Tachycardia
  • PAF- Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
  • POTS- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
  • PSVT- Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
  • ST- Sinus Tachycardia
  • SVT- Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia
  • BPM- beats per minute
  • ASD-  atrial septal defect
  • AV- aortic valve
  • EPS- electrophysiological study
  • HOCM- hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
  • HR- heart rate
  • SIDS- sudden infant death syndrome
  • TdP- torsade de pointes
  • VSD: Ventricular septal defect
  • AED – Automated External Defibrillator
  • BP-Blood pressure
  • DVT- Deep vein thrombosis
  • SSS- sick sinus syndrome
  • EMI- Electromagnetic interference

If you come across an abbreviation not listed here, please contact our Family Support Director, Genevie, at Genevie@SADS.org so we can add it!