What does "tachycardia" refer to?

Tachycardia specifically refers to a condition characterized by a fast heart rate, typically defined as a resting heart rate over 100 beats per minute in adults. This term is derived from the Greek words "tachy," meaning swift, and "kardia," meaning heart.

In a medical context, tachycardia can occur for various reasons, including stress, anxiety, fever, anemia, or underlying heart conditions. It's important for healthcare providers to assess the underlying causes and implications of tachycardia, as it may indicate an increased workload on the heart or other serious health issues.

The other options outline conditions that do not describe tachycardia: a slow heart rate is known as bradycardia, an irregular heartbeat may be referred to as arrhythmia, and a normal heart rate is simply referred to as sinus rhythm or normal sinus tachycardia when heart rate is elevated under appropriate circumstances. Understanding these distinctions helps in accurately identifying and managing various cardiac conditions.