extrasystole

9.9

An extra heartbeat that comes earlier than the next normal beat

noun
/ˌɛkstrəˈsɪtoʊl/

Specialized

: extrasístole

After experiencing several extrasystoles, she decided to visit a cardiologist for further evaluation.

Examples

Patients often report feeling anxious when they notice an extrasystole, as it disrupts their regular heart rhythm.
Additionally, the prevalent forms of arrhythmia during the chronic phase are ventricular extrasystoles, right bundle branch block, ventricular repolarization disorders, and ventricular arrhythmias.

Academic text (2016)
The doctor explained that an extrasystole is a common type of premature heartbeat that can be felt as a skipped beat.

Synonyms

arrhythmia

vsextrasystole

Specialized

28 7.4

An uneven heartbeat that is faster, slower, or not regular

is a specific early heartbeat occurring before the next expected contraction

premature ventricular contraction

vsextrasystole

Specialized

1 7.3

A heartbeat that comes early so it feels like a skipped beat

is a premature beat that can come from different heart chambers

How Regular

heart rhythm

Specialized

7 3.0

extrasystole

Specialized

9.9

arrhythmia

Specialized

28 7.4

ventricular fibrillation

Specialized

1 7.8

Surface Forms

extrasystole singular

extrasystoles plural

Morphology

extrasystole = systole (transparent) = extra + systole

Formed by the productive prefix 'extra-' added to the medical noun 'systole', yielding the sense 'an extra/premature heartbeat'.

Etymology

Extrasystole comes from the parts extra- meaning 'outside' and systole meaning 'squeeze' or 'contraction' of the heart, the same root you see in systolic. So, an extrasystole is a heartbeat that happens 'outside' the normal rhythm, an early beat.