| A | B |
|---|
| aneurysm | A localized abnormal dilation of a blood vessel, usually an artery, caused by weakness of the vessel wall. May eventually burst. |
| angina pectoris | A feeling of constriction around the heart or pain that may radiate to the left arm or shoulder, usually brought on by exertion; caused by insufficient blood supply to the myocardium. |
| arrhythmia | Any abnormality in the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. |
| cerebrovascular accident, stroke | Sudden damage to the brain resulting from reduction of blood flow. Causes include atherosclerosis, embolism, thrombosis, or hemorrhage from a ruptured aneurysm; commonly called stroke. |
| tachycardia | rapid heartbeat |
| cyanosis | Bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen |
| bradycardia | slow heartbeat |
| edema | Swelling of body tissues due to the presence of excess fluid. Causes include cardiovascular disturbances, kidney failure, inflammation, and malnutrition. |
| HDL | high density lipoprotiens, "good" cholesterol |
| embolus | A mass carried in the circulation. Usually a blood clot, but may also be air, fat, bacteria, or other solid matter from within or from outside the body. |
| dyspnea | Difficult or labored breathing. |
| fibrillation | Spontaneous, quivering, and ineffectual contraction of muscle fibers, as in the atria or the ventricles. |
| hyperlipidemia | elevated fats in the blood |
| heart failure | A condition caused by the inability of the heart to maintain adequate circulation of blood. |
| hypertension | A condition of higher than normal blood pressure. Essential (primary, idiopathic) hypertension has no known cause. |
| infarction | Localized necrosis of tissue resulting from a blockage or narrowing of the artery that supplies the area. A myocardial infarction occurs in cardiac muscle and usually results from formation of a thrombus in a coronary artery. |
| ischemia | Local deficiency of blood supply due to obstruction of the circulation. |
| murmur | An abnormal heart sound. A functional murmur is generated by normal heart function and does not indicate a defect. |
| occlusion | A closing off or obstruction, as of a vessel. |
| phlebitis | Inflammation of a vein. |
| rheumatic heart disease | Damage to heart valves following infection with a type of streptococcus. The antibodies produced in response to the infection produce scarring of the valves, usually the mitral valve. |
| shock | Circulatory failure resulting in inadequate supply of blood to the heart. Cardiogenic shock is due to heart failure; hypovolemic shock is due to a loss of blood volume; septic shock is due to bacterial infection. |
| stenosis | Constriction or narrowing of an opening |
| syncope | A temporary loss of consciousness due to inadequate blood flow to the brain; fainting. |
| thrombosis, thrombus | Development of a blood clot within a vessel. |
| varicose vein | A twisted and swollen vein resulting from breakdown of the valves, pooling of blood, and chronic dilatation of the vessel; also called varix or varicosity. |
| auscultation | listening for abnormal heart sounds through a stethescope |
| ECG | measures heart conduction |
| doppler echocardiography | explores blood flow patterns and changes in velocity within heart and great vessels |
| cardiac catheterization | a catheter passed into the heart to get a sample of blood |
| angiography | contrast dye injected into the vessels to determine blockages |
| LDL | low density lipoproteins, "bad" cholesterol |
| triglycerides | a form of fat that exists w/in the body |
| arteriosclerosis | development of hard, thick walls, degeneration of arterioles |
| atherosclerosis | large arteries are obstructed with cholesterol plaque and thrombi |
| venous thrombosis | a clot that develops in the superficial or deep veins of the lower extremities |
| coronary heart disease | a narrowing of the small blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart |
| pallor | unusual paleness |
| hypotension | A conditon of lower than normal blood pressure. |
| pericarditis | fluid that accumulates in the sac, restricting cardiac output |
| mitral valve prolapse | Movement of the cusps of the mitral valve into the left atrium when the ventricles contract. |
| septal defect | a disorder in which blood passes a mixture of oxygenated and oxygen poor blood between the atria or ventricle |
| palpitation | A sensation of abnormally rapid or irregular heartbeat. |
| congenital heart defect | developmental abnormality of the heart from birth |
| cardiomyopathy | functional disease of the myocardium |
| myocarditis | inflammatory disease of the heart muscle |
| regurgitation | A backward flow, such as the backflow of blood through a defective valve. |
| endocarditis | Growth of bacteria in a heart or valves previously damaged by rheumatic fever |
| tetralogy of Fallot | A combination of four congenital heart abnormalities: pulmonary artery stenosis, interventricular septal defect, displacement of the aorta to the right, right ventricular hypertrophy. |
