chap 5: cardiology

tachycardia

abnormally high resting heart rate

sinoatrial node

known as the heart’s pacemaker

atrioventricular node

transmits electrical impulses toward the bundle of His, located on floor of right atrium

electrocardiography

records the electrical activity of the myocardium

pulmonary artery

carries deoxygenated blood to lungs

arterectomy

surgical removal of an artery

arthrosclerosis

abnormal buildup of plaque in an artery

embolism

sudden blockage of a blood vessel by foreign object circulating in the blood

aplastic anemia

characterized by an absence of all formed blood elements

embolus

foreign particle circulating in the blood

thrombus

blood clot attached to the interior wall of a vessel

thrombosis

the abnormal condition of having a thrombus

hemostasis

to stop or control bleeding

hemolytic anemia

inadequate amount of circulating red blood cells due to premature destruction by the spleen

megaloblastic anemia

a blood disorder characterized by anemia in which red blood cells are larger than normal

antihypertensive

medication to treat high blood pressure

antiarrhythmic medication

medication to control cardiac arrhythmias

phlebitis

inflammation of a vein

endocarditis

bacterial infection of the lining of the heart

bradycardia

abnormally slow heartbeat

essential hypertension

also known as primary hypertension, consistently elevated blood pressure of unkown cause

secondary hypertension

hypertensions caused by another medical problem, such as a kidney disorder

malignant hypertension

characterized by very high blood pressure causing organ damage

ventricular fibrillation

rapid, useless and irregular contraction of the ventricles

raynaud’s phenomenon

peripheral occlusive disease where intermittent attacks are triggered by cold or stress

myocardial infarction

blockage of a coronary artery that causes tissue death of the affected myocardium

thrombocytes

platelets; blood cells that promote the clotting response

palpitation

a pounding or racing heartbeat with or without irregular beats

vasculitis

inflammation of a blood or lymph vessel

septicemia

common term is blood poisoning; infection in the blood caused by either a virus or bacteria

angiography

the study of blood vessels via injection of contrast dye

pericarditis

inflammation of tissue surrounding the heart

aneurysm

a localized, balloon-like enlargement of an artery

ventricular tachycardia

a form of cardiac arrhythmia fatal if not reversed

hypoperfusion

inadequate blood flow through the vessels of an organ

cardiomegaly

abnormal enlargement of the heart

atheroma

a deposit of fatty plaque on or within the arterial wall

leukemia

a type of cancer characterized by a progressive increase in the number of abnormal white blood cells

leukopenia

a decrease in the number of white blood cells circulating in the blood

myelodysplastic syndrome

a group of blood marrow disorders characterized by the insufficient production of one or more types of blood cells

temporal arteritis

a form of vasculitis with abnormally large cells, causing headache, visual impairment and other symptoms

thrombolytic

medication that dissolves or cause a thrombus to break up

Carotid Endarterectomy

surgical removal of the lining of clogged carotid artery leading to the brain

valvoplasty

surgical repair of a valve

Aneurysmorrhaphy

surgical suturing of an aneurism

Aneurysmectomy

surgical removal of an aneurysm