heart block
noun
: incoordination of the heartbeat in which the atria and ventricles beat independently and which is marked by decreased cardiac output
Examples of heart block in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Roughly 1 in 15,000 children are born with congenital heart block, which causes an abnormally slow heart rate.
—
Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 12 Apr. 2023
Some patients suffer nerve damage, others heart block or swollen joints.
—Pamela Weintraub, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2010
When the twins were two years old, Lily was diagnosed with a third-degree heart block, and received a pacemaker.
—Emily Burack, Town & Country, 26 July 2022
After surviving life-saving emergency surgery due to a complete heart block as a child, as well as a devastating car crash in college, the 26-year-old has worked hard to find ways to heal from her physical and emotional pain.
—Lanae Brody, PEOPLE.com, 15 Mar. 2022
Further testing revealed at that time that the baby had congenital heart block—a condition caused by an antibody that had traveled across Cleghorn's placenta, attached to the baby's heart cells, and caused inflammation that slowed his heart muscle.
—Colleen Murphy, Health.com, 16 Feb. 2022
Amyloid protein can also block the arteries of the heart, leading to heart attack, or may damage the electrical conduction system of the heart, leading to heart block or abnormal rhythms.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2022
In a larger series of 700 COVID-19 patients monitored for rhythm problems, none developed heart block.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 24 Jan. 2022
Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 12 Apr. 2023
Some patients suffer nerve damage, others heart block or swollen joints.
—Pamela Weintraub, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2010
When the twins were two years old, Lily was diagnosed with a third-degree heart block, and received a pacemaker.
—Emily Burack, Town & Country, 26 July 2022
After surviving life-saving emergency surgery due to a complete heart block as a child, as well as a devastating car crash in college, the 26-year-old has worked hard to find ways to heal from her physical and emotional pain.
—Lanae Brody, PEOPLE.com, 15 Mar. 2022
Further testing revealed at that time that the baby had congenital heart block—a condition caused by an antibody that had traveled across Cleghorn's placenta, attached to the baby's heart cells, and caused inflammation that slowed his heart muscle.
—Colleen Murphy, Health.com, 16 Feb. 2022
Amyloid protein can also block the arteries of the heart, leading to heart attack, or may damage the electrical conduction system of the heart, leading to heart block or abnormal rhythms.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2022
In a larger series of 700 COVID-19 patients monitored for rhythm problems, none developed heart block.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 24 Jan. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heart block.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1903, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near heart block
Cite this Entry
“Heart block.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart%20block. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Medical Definition
heart block
noun
: incoordination of the heartbeat in which the atria and ventricles beat independently due to defective transmission through the bundle of His and which is marked by decreased cardiac output often with cerebral ischemia
More from Merriam-Webster on heart block
Britannica English: Translation of heart block for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heart block
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