flatlining
Heart monitor monotone
Flatlining originally describes the flat line on a heart monitor when cardiac activity stops—the patient is dying or dead.
The term extends to anything showing no activity or movement: Sales have been flatlining for months, The project is flatlining.
To flatline is to show this pattern, whether literally in a medical crisis or figuratively for stagnant performance.
Zero cardiac electrical activity
- cardiac arrestAbrupt cessation of circulation
- ventricular fibrillationDeadly heart rhythm disorder
- arrhythmiaAbnormal cardiac rhythm
- heart failureInadequate blood pumping condition
myocardial infarction · pulseless · heart attack · coronary · ischemia · bradycardia · tachycardia · fibrillation
Heart's electrical activity record
- ECGCardiac electrical recording
- EKGCardiac electrical recording
- vital signsMeasurable life indicators
- flat lineAbsence of vital signs
no signal · beeping · screen · trace · waveform · baseline · readout · oscilloscope
Specialized treatment for severe illness
- life supportSystems maintaining vital functions
- ventilatorMechanical breathing apparatus
- critical conditionSeverely ill, unstable medically
- unresponsiveFailing to react or reply
coma · stabilize · trauma · paramedics · emergency room · ER · crash cart · triage
Emergency revival technique
- chest compressionsRhythmic pressure on sternum
- code blueHospital cardiac arrest signal
- paddlesHandheld water propulsion tools
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
revival · rescue breathing · advanced life support · basic life support · intubation · ventilation · bringing back · resuscitate
asystole
Zero cardiac electrical activity
- cardiac arrestAbrupt cessation of circulation
- ventricular fibrillationDeadly heart rhythm disorder
- arrhythmiaAbnormal cardiac rhythm
heart failure · myocardial infarction · pulseless · heart attack · coronary · ischemia · bradycardia · tachycardia · fibrillation · heart rhythm
electrocardiogram
Heart's electrical activity record
- ECGCardiac electrical recording
- EKGCardiac electrical recording
- vital signsMeasurable life indicators
flat line · no signal · beeping · screen · trace · waveform · baseline · readout · oscilloscope · telemetry
intensive care
Specialized treatment for severe illness
- life supportSystems maintaining vital functions
- ventilatorMechanical breathing apparatus
- critical conditionSeverely ill, unstable medically
unresponsive · coma · stabilize · trauma · paramedics · emergency room · ER · crash cart · triage · first responders
CPR
Emergency revival technique
- chest compressionsRhythmic pressure on sternum
- code blueHospital cardiac arrest signal
- paddlesHandheld water propulsion tools
shock · revival · rescue breathing · advanced life support · basic life support · intubation · ventilation · bringing back · resuscitate · jumpstart
stagnation
Absence of flow or progress
- plateauFlat highland area
- declineDecrease or refuse
- bottoming outReaching the lowest level
standstill · stalling · dormant · static · inert · failing · tanking · crashing · nosedive · slump
- consciousness statesunconscious, conscious, awake, alert, sleep
flatliningbeating
Repeated striking or pulsing
alive · living · reviving · pulsing · resuscitating
defibrillation, flatline, flatlined, flatliners, flatliner, flatlines