Cardiovascular System Assessment and Key Terms

A collection of key terms and definitions related to the assessment of the cardiovascular system for exam preparation.

Afterload

Pressure/resistance the ventricles must overcome to eject blood into peripheral blood vessels.

Apical Impulse

Pulse located at the left 5th intercostal space in the midclavicular line (mitral area).

Baroreceptors

Sensory receptors in the arch of the aorta and internal carotid arteries stimulated when arterial walls are stretched by increased blood pressure.

Blood Pressure (BP)

The force of blood exerted against the vessel walls.

Bruit

Swishing sound that may occur from turbulent blood flow in narrowed or atherosclerotic arteries.

Cardiac Catheterization

Most definitive but invasive test in the diagnosis of heart disease involving passing a catheter into the heart and injecting contrast medium.

Cardiac index

Calculation of cardiac output (CO) requirements to account for differences in body size; determined by dividing CO by body surface area.

Cardiac Output (CO)

Volume of blood ejected by the heart each minute.

Cholesterol

Serum lipid that includes high and low-density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL).

Diastole

Phase of the cardiac cycle that consists of relaxation and filling of the atria and ventricles.

Diastolic BP

The amount of pressure/force against the arterial walls during the relaxation phase of the cardiac cycle.

Echocardiograph

The use of ultrasound waves to assess cardiac structure and mobility, particularly in valves.

Electrophysiologic Study (EPS)

An invasive procedure where programmed electrical stimulation of the heart is used to evaluate dysrhythmias and conduction abnormalities.

Heart Rate (HR)

Number of times the ventricles contract in one minute.

High-density Lipoprotein (HDL)

'Good' cholesterol; males: more than 45 mg/dL; females: more than 55 mg/dL.

Homocysteine

An amino acid produced when protein breaks down; elevated values may be a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease.

Low-density Lipoproteins (LDL)

'Bad' cholesterol; should be less than 130 mg/dL.

Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)

Arterial blood pressure that is necessary (between 60-100 mmHg) to maintain perfusion of major body organs.

Murmur

Abnormal heart sound that reflects turbulent blood flow through normal or abnormal valves.

Myocardium

The heart muscle.

Orthostatic Hypotension

Decrease in BP that occurs the first few seconds to minutes after changing from sitting or lying position to a standing position.

Palpitations

Feeling of fluttering in the chest; irregular heartbeat.

Preload

The degree of myocardial fiber stretch at the end of diastole and just before contraction.

Stroke Volume (SV)

Amount of blood ejected by the left ventricle during each contraction.

Systolic BP

Amount of pressure/force generated by the left ventricle to distribute blood into the aorta with each contraction.

Transesophageal EKG (TEE)

Form of EKG performed through the esophagus that examines the function and structure of the heart.

Triglycerides

Serum lipid profile that includes measurement of cholesterol and lipoproteins.

Troponin

Myocardial muscle protein released into the bloodstream when injury to myocardial muscle occurs.