commotio cordis

noun

com·​mo·​tio cor·​dis kə-ˈmō-shē-ō-ˈkȯrd-əs How to pronounce commotio cordis (audio)
: concussion of the heart that is caused by a blow to the chest over the region of the heart by a blunt object (as a baseball, hockey puck, or fist) which does not penetrate the body and that usually results in ventricular fibrillation leading to sudden cardiac death if treatment by defibrillation is not immediately given

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Cite this Entry

“Commotio cordis.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/commotio%20cordis. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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