| A | B |
|---|
| Angiogram | Record (x-ray) of a blood vessel |
| Angioplasty | Surgical repair of a blood vessel |
| Arteriosclerosis | Hardening of the arteries |
| Arrhythmia | Abnormal heart rhythm (heart block, flutter, fibrillation) |
| Arterial Anastomosis | Surgical connections between arteries |
| Arteriography | Process of recording (x-ray) arteries after injecting dye |
| Arteriole | Small artery that carries blood to the tiniest of blood vessels, the capillaries |
| Artery | Largest type of blood vessel; carries blood away from the heart to all parts of the body |
| Atherectomy | Removal of atheromatous (fatty) plaque from the lining of an artery |
| Atheroma | Collection of fatty material in an artery |
| Atherosclerosis | Hardening of the arteries with deposit of fatty substance, causing the lumen of the vessel to narrow |
| Atrial | Pertaining to an upper chamber of the heart |
| Atrioventricular node | Specialized tissue at the base of the wall between the two upper heart chambers. Electrical impulses pass from the pacemaker through the AV node to the bundle of His. |
| Atrium | Upper chamber of the heart (plural: atria) |
| Brachial Artery | Artery that branches from the aorta to bring blood to the arm |
| Bradycardia | Condition of slow heart beat (slower than 60 beats per minute); normal pulse rate is 60-80 beats per minute |
| Bundle of His | Specialized muscle fibers in the wall between the ventricles that carry the electric impulses to the ventricles; also called the atrioventricular bundle |
| Capillary | Smallest blood vessel; materials pass to and from the bloodstream through the thin capillary walls |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | A gas (waste) released by body cells and transported via veins to the heart and then to the lungs to be expelled |
| Cardiomegaly | Enlargement of the heart |
| Carotid Arteries | Arteries that supply blood to the head and neck |
| Cardiomyopathy | Disease of the heart muscle |
| Coronary Arteries | The blood vessels that branch from the aorta and carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle |
| Cyanosis | Abnormal condition of bluish discoloration due to poor oxygenation of blood |
| Deoxygenated blood | Blood that is oxygen-poor |
| Oxygenated blood | Blood rich in oxygen |
| Diastole | Relaxation phase of the heartbeat; the ventricle walls relax and blood flows into the heart from the venae cavae and the pulmonary veins |
| Endocardium | Inner lining of the heart |
| Endothelium | Innermost lining of blood vessels |
| Hemangioma | Benign tumor made up of newly formed blood vessels, clustered together; usually appears as network of small blood-filled capillaries near the surface of the skin, forming a reddish or purplish birthmark |
| Hypercholesterolemia | Condition of excessive cholesterol in the blood |
| Hypertropic Cardiomyopathy | Increase in the heart muscle weight, especially along the septum, which causes narrowing (stenosis) of the aortic valve |
| Hypoxia | Condition of decreased oxygen in inspired air; as occurs in high altitudes |
| Interventricular Septum | The wall separating the ventricles of the heart (lower chambers) |
| Interatrial Septum | The wall separating the atria of the heart (upper chambers) |
| Mitral Valve | Valve found between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart |
| Mitral Valvulitis | Inflammation of the mitral valve |
| Myxoma | A benign tumor derived from connective tissue, with cells embedded in soft mucoid stromal tissue; occurs most frequently in the left atrium |
| Myocardium | Muscle layer (middle layer) of the heart wall (the thickest layer) |
| Oxygen | Gas that enters the blood through the lungs and travels to the heart to be pumped via arteries to all body cells |
| Pacemaker | Sensitive tissue in the right atrium that begins the heartbeat; also called the sinoatrial node |
| Pericardiocentesis | Surgical puncture of the membrane surrounding the heart (to remove fluid) |
| Pericardium | Sac-like fibrous membrane surrounding the heart (two layers--visceral pericardium and parietal pericardium) |
| Phlebitis | Inflammation of a vein |
| Phlebotomy | Incision of a vein |
| Pulmonary | Pertaining to the lungs |
| Pulse | The beat of the heart that is felt through the walls of the arteries--felt at radial (lower arm), carotid (neck), brachial (elbow), or femoral (hip) artery |
| Pulmonary Artery | An artery carrying oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs; the only artery in the body that carries blood deficient in oxygen |
| Pulmonary Circulation | The flow of blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart |
| Pulmonary Valve | Valve between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery |
| Pulmonary Vein | A vein carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart; the only vein in the body that carries oxygenated blood |
| Septum | A partition; in the cardiovascular system a partition between the right and the left sides of the heart (plural: septa) |
| Sinoatrial node | The pacemaker of the heart |
| Sinus Rhythm | The normal heart rhythm originating in the SA node and traveling through the heart; sympathetic nerves speed up the heart rate, and parasympathetic slow the heart rate |
| Sphygmomanometer | Instrument to measure blood pressure--the force that the blood exerts on the arterial walls; average is 120/80; the top number represents systolic, and the lower represents diastolic |
| Stethoscope | Instrument used to hear and amplify the sounds produced by the heart, lungs, and other internal organs |
| Systemic Circulation | The flow of blood from the body organs and cells (except the lungs) to the heart and then back out from the heart to the cells |
| Systole | The contraction phase of the heartbeat wherein the right and left ventricles contract to pump blood into the pulmonary artery and aorta |
| Tachycardia | Condition of fast heartbeat; faster than 100 beats per minute |
| Tricuspid Valve | Valve located between the right atrium and the right ventricle; it has three cusps |
| Valvotomy | Incision of a valve |
| Vasospasm | Spasm of blood vessels, decreasing their caliber |
| Vascular | Pertaining to blood vessels |
| Vasoconstriction | Narrowing of vessels |
| Vasodilation | Widening of vessels |
| Valve | A structure in veins or in the heart that temporarily closes an opening so that blood flows in only one direction |
| Valvuloplasty | Surgical repair of a valve within the heart |
| Vein | Thin-walled blood vessel that carries blood from the body tissues and lungs to the heart |
| Vena cava (venae cavae) | Largest vein in the body; superior and inferior venae cavae bring blood to the right atrium of the heart |
| Superior vena cava | Drains blood from upper body |
| Inferior vena cava | Carries blood from lower body |
| Venous | Pertaining to veins |
| Ventricle | Lower and larger chamber of the heart |
| Ventriculotomy | Incision of a ventricle of the heart |
| Venule | Small vein |
| Aneurysm | Local widening of an artery caused by weakness in the arterial wall or breakdown of the wall owing to atherosclerosis; most commonly in the aorta; danger is that the artery wall becomes thin and may rupture |
| Angina pectoris | Chest pain resulting from a temporary difference between the supply and the demand of oxygen to the heart muscle; for acute attacks, nitroglycerin is given sublingually |
| Angiography | Dye is injected into the bloodstream or heart chamber, and x-rays are taken of the heart and large blood vessels in the chest |
| Arteriography | Dye is injected into the artery in the groin, and x-rays are taken of the heart and large blood vessels in the chest |
| Atrioventricular | Pertaining to an atrium and ventricle (upper and lower chambers of the heart) |
| Atrioventricular block (heart block) | Failure of proper conduction of impulses through the AV node to the atrioventricular bundle of His; implantation of a cardiac pacemaker can overcome heartblock and establish a normal rhythm |
| Auscultation | Listening to sounds within the body using a stethoscope |
| ACE Inhibitors | Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE); drugs that block the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II and thus reduce blood vessel constriction; they are antihypertensive drugs |
| Beta-blocker | Drugs used to treat angina, hypertension, and arrhythmias; they block the action of epinephrine (adrenalin) at receptor sites on cells so that the heart beats more slowly and with less force and requires less oxygen |
| Bruit | An abnormal sound (murmur) heard on auscultation |
| Calcium channel blocker | Drugs used to treat angina and hypertension; they dilate blood vessels by blocking the influx of calcium into muscles that line the vessels, making it easier for the heart to pump blood through the vessels |
| Cardiac arrest | Sudden and unexpected stoppage of heart movement caused by heart block or ventricular fibrillation |
| Cardiac catheterization | A thin, flexible tube (catheter) is introduced into a vein or artery and is guided into the heart to detect pressures and patterns of blood flow; if dye is injected and x-rays taken, it is called an angiography |
| Cardiac scan | Radioactive substance is injected intravenously, and its accumulation in the heart muscle is measured with a special detection device (scanner); possible to detect ischemia and myocardial infarction |
| Cardioversion (defibrillation) | Brief discharges of electricity applied across the chest to stop a cardiac arrhythmia and to allow a more normal rhythm to begin |
| Defibrillator | The electrical device applied to the chest wall in an attempt to restore normal heart rhythm |
| Claudication | Pain, tension, and weakness in a leg after walking has begun, but absence of pain at rest |
| Coarctation of the aorta | Narrowing of the aorta--a type of congenital heart abnormality |
| Congenital heart disease | Abnormalities in the heart at birth |
| Congestive heart failure | Inability of the heart to pump its required amount of blood (more blood enters the heart from the veins than leaves through the arteries) |
| Coronary artery disease | Disease of the arteries surrounding the heart; usually the result of atherosclerosis; energy requirements of the heart are greater than those of any other organ, so the heart muscle receives blood before any other organ |
| Coronary bypass surgery | Vessel grafts consisting of veins taken from other parts of the body are anastomosed to existing coronary arteries to detour around blockages |
| Digitalis | Drug that increases the strength and regularity of the heartbeat |
| Digoxin | Drug used to correct arrhythmias and improve the strength and regularity of the heartbeat |
| Digital subtraction angiography | Visual equipment and a computer are used to produce x-ray pictures of blood vessels |
| Doppler ultrasound | An instrument is used to focus sound waves on a blood vessel to look for areas of stenosis and vascular occlusion |
| Echocardiography | Ultrasounds are transmitted into the chest, and echoes returning from the valves, chambers, and surfaces of the heart are electronically plotted and recorded to show the structure and movement of the heart |
| Emboli | Collections of material that travel through and suddenly block a blood vessel (singular: embolus) |
| Endarterectomy | Removal of the inner lining of the artery when it is filled with plaque |
| Endocarditis | Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart caused by bacteria; also called bacterial endocarditis |
| Extracorporeal circulation | A heart-lung machine is used as a bypass to divert blood from the heart and lungs while the heart is being repaired |
| Fibrillation | Rapid, random, ineffectual, and irregular contractions of the heart; 300 beats or more per minute |
| Flutter | Rapid but regular contractions of atria or ventricles; heart can reach up to 300 beats per minute |
| Hemorrhoids | Varicose veins near the anus; also called piles |
| Hypertension | High blood pressure (over 140/90) |
| Essential hypertension | High blood pressure that is idiopathic (unknown cause) |
| Secondary hypertension | High blood pressure associated with a lesion like glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, or adrenal gland disease |
| Hypertensive heart disease | High blood pressure affecting the heart, caused by the contraction of arterioles of the body leading to increased pressure in arteries; the heart has to pump more vigorously to overcome the increased resistance in the arteries |
| Infarction | Area of dead tissue |
| Necrosis | Death of tissue |
| Holter Monitoring | A compact electrocardiograph worn during a 24-hour period to detect cardiac arrhythmias |
| Ischemia | Blood flow is decreased or stopped entirely |
| Lipid tests | Tests to measure the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in a blood sample; the higher the level, the greater risk of atherosclerosis |
| Mitral stenosis | Narrowing of the mitral valve; in rheumatic fever the mitral valve becomes inflamed and scarred and does not open and close normally |
| Hyperlipidemia | General term for elevated concentrations of any or all of the lipids in the plasma |
| Mitral valve prolapse | Improper closure of the mitral valve when the heart is pumping blood; click-murmur syndrome |
| Murmur | An extra heart sound, heard between normal beats; caused by improper closure of heart valves or disease that disrupts the smooth flow of blood in the heart |
| Patent | Open, unobstructed, or not closed |
| Lipoprotein electrophoresis | Process of physically separating lipoproteins (proteins that carry lipids or fats in the bloodstream) from a blood sample |
| Cardiac tamponade | Compression of the heart due to collection of fluid; excess fluid must be drained by pericardiocentesis |
| Occlusion | Closure of a blood vessel |
| Myocardial infarction | Heart attack; EKG is used to diagnose a heart attack |
| Nitrates | Drugs used in the treatment of angina pectoris; they dilate blood vessels, so that a patient is less likely to develop myocardial oxygen deficit |
| Nitroglycerin | A nitrate drug used in the treatment of angina pectoris |
| Peripheral vascular disease | Blockage of blood vessels (arteries) in the lower extremities due to atherosclerosis; often the femoral (thigh) artery or the popliteal (back of the knee) artery |
| Palpitations | Uncomfortable sensations in the chest related to cardiac arrhythmias; frequently caused by smoking, caffeine, and drugs |
| Patent ductus arteriosus | A small duct between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, which normally closes soon after birth, remains open (patent); occurs more often in females and often associated with German measles, prematurity, and infant respiratory distress syndrome |
| Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty | Used to open narrowed cardiac valves and is seen as a possible alternative for valvular stenosis |
| Pericarditis | Inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart |
| Petechiae | Small, pinpoint hemorrhages |
| PET Scan | Positron Emission Tomography; an IV radiopharmaceutical is administered, followed by a glucose injection; these localize in the myocardium; scans images showing blood flow and functional activity of the myocardium |
| Raynaud phenomenon | Short episodes of pallor and numbness in the fingers and toes due to temporary constriction of arterioles in the skin; triggered by cold temperatures, emotional stress, or cigarette smoking |
| Rheumatic heart disease | Heart disease caused by rheumatic fever (a childhood disease that can follow a streptococcal infection); mitral stenosis, atrial fibrillation, and congestive heart failure can occur |
| Thallium Scintigraphy | A radioactive isotope taken up by myocardial tissue is injected intraveneously; infarcted or scarred myocardial tissue does not extract any isotope and shows up as cold spots |
| Thrill | A vibration or abnormal tremor felt on palpation of the chest |
| Thrombolysis | Destruction of clots |
| Septal defects | Small holes in the septa between the atria or the ventricles; a congenital abnormality |
| Tetralogy of Fallot | Congenital malformation of the heart involving four distinct defects--pulmonary artery stenosis, ventricular septal defect, shift of the aorta to the right, hypertrophy of the right ventricle |
| Thrombolytic therapy | Drugs that dissolve clots are injected into the bloodstream in patients diagnosed as having coronary thrombosis |
| Thrombotic occlusion | Blocking of the coronary artery by a clot |
| Varicose veins | Abnormally swollen and twisted veins, usually occurring in the legs; treatment is with elastic stockings, leg elevation, and vein stripping |
| Vegetations | Collections of platelets, clotting proteins, microorganisms, and red blood cells that attach to the endocardium in conditions such as bacterial endocarditis and rheumatic heart disease |
| MRI | Magnetic Resonance Imaging; magnetic waves are beamed at the heart, and an image is produced to obtain detailed information about congenital heart disease, cardiac masses, and lesions of large blood vessels prior to surgery |
| BP | Blood pressure |
| CCU | Coronary care unit |
| CAD | Coronary artery disease |
| MVP | Mitral valve prolapse |
| VSD | Ventricular septal defect |
| HDL | High-density lipoproteins |
| ECG or EKG | Electrocardiogram |
| ETT | Exercise tolerance test |
| SA | Sinoatrial |
| CHF | Congestive heart failure |
| MI | Myocardial infarction |
| VT | Ventricular tachycardia |
