What is the Difference Between Fibrillation and Defibrillation?

🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚

Fibrillation and defibrillation are related to abnormal heart rhythms, called arrhythmias, but they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics.

Fibrillation:

  • Fibrillation is a heart condition that causes irregular and abnormally fast heart rates, with the heart rate considerably giving higher beats than 100 beats per minute.
  • It occurs when the heart's electrical signals controlling the heart are scrambled, causing the heart muscle to not contract in an organized fashion.
  • Fibrillation can lead to dizziness, tiredness, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations.

Defibrillation:

  • Defibrillation is a treatment for life-threatening heart conditions such as cardiac arrests or severe arrhythmias.
  • It involves administering electric shocks to the heart to reset the normal heart rhythm.
  • Defibrillation can cause a decreased pulse rate during abnormal heart conditions.

In summary, fibrillation is a heart condition characterized by irregular and abnormally fast heart rates, while defibrillation is a treatment to restore a normal heart rhythm by delivering electric shocks to the heart.

Comparative Table: Fibrillation vs Defibrillation

Fibrillation and defibrillation are related to abnormal heart conditions, but they have distinct differences. Here is a table summarizing the differences between fibrillation and defibrillation:

Fibrillation Defibrillation
A heart condition causing irregular and abnormally fast heart rates (over 100 beats per minute) A treatment for life-threatening heart conditions, such as cardiac arrests or severe arrhythmias, involving the administration of electric shocks to the heart to reset normal rhythm
Increases pulse rate Decreases pulse rate during abnormal heart conditions
Increases the chance of cardiac arrest Decreases the chance of cardiac arrest
Can lead to ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, which are both dangerous arrhythmias Involves the use of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) and automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (AICDs)

In summary, fibrillation is a heart condition characterized by irregular and abnormally fast heart rates, while defibrillation is a treatment used to restore normal heart rhythm in cases of life-threatening arrhythmias.