Cardiovascular and Blood system

ACE inhibitor (angiotensin-converting enzyme)

blocks the action of the enzyme that causes the blood vessels to contract, resulting in hypertension.

anemia

a disorder characterized by a lower-than-normal number of erythrocytes in the blood.

aneurysm

a localized weak spot or balloon-like enlargement of the wall of an artery.

angina

is a condition in which severe episodes of chest pain occur due to an inadequate blood flow to the myocardium.

angioplasty

the technique of mechanically widening a narrowed or obstructed blood vessel.

anticoagulant

slows clotting and prevents new clots from forming.

aorta

the largest blood vessel in the body.

aortic stenosis

is a buildup of calcium and fat deposits in the valve, mostly affecting adults over age 65.

arrhythmia

the loss of the normal rhythm of the heartbeat.

atherectomy

the surgical removal of plaque buildup from the interior of an artery.

atherosclerosis

hardening and narrowing of the arteris caused by buildup of cholesteral plaque on the interior walls of the arteries.

atrial fibrillation

also known as A-fib, is the most common type of tachycardia.

automated external defibrillator (AED)

is designed for use by nonprofessionals in emergency situations when defibrillation is required.

beta-blocker

reduces the workload of the heart by blocking the release of stress hormones, thus slowing the rate of the heartbeat.

bradycardia

an abnormally slow resting heart rate.

capillaries

only one epithelial cell in thickness, are the smallest blood vessels in the body.

cardiac arrest

an event in which the heart abruptly stops beating or develops an arrhythmia that prevents it from pumping blood effectively.

cardiac catherization

a diagnostic and treatment procedure in which a catheter is passed into a vein or artery and then guided into the heart.

cardiomyopathy

the term used to describe all diseases of the heart muscle.

carotid endarterectomy

the surgical removal of the lining of a portion of a clogged carotid artery leading to the brain.

cholesterol

a fatty substance that travels through the blood and is found in all parts of the body.

chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)

is a conditioin in which venous circulation is inadequate due to a partial vein blockage or to the leakage of venous valves.

coronary artery disease (CAD)

is atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries that reduces the blood supply to the heart muscle.

coronary thrombosis

damage to the heart muscle caused by a thrombus blocking a coronary artery.

defibrillation

the emergency use of electrical shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm.

diastole

the period of relaxation that follows as the chambers refill with blood.

diuretic

an antihypertensive medication administered to increase urine output to rid the body of excess sodium and water.

electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)

a record of the electrical activity of the myocardium.

electrophysiologist

a doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of heart arrhythmias.

embolism

the sudden blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus.

embolus

a foreign object, such as a blood clot, a quantity of air or gas, or a bit of tissue or tumor, that is circulating in the blood.

endocarditis

an inflammation of the inner lining of the heart.

erythrocytes

also known as red blood cells (RBCs), are mature red blood cells.

heart murmur

an abnormal blowing or clicking sound heard when listening to the heart or a neighboring large blood vessel.

hemoglobin

oxygen-carrying blood protein pigment of the erythrocytes.

hypertension (HTN)

is the elevation of arterial blood pressure to a level that is likely to cause damage to the cardiovascular system.

hypoperfusion

a deficiency of blood passing through an orgen or body part.

ischemia

a condition in which there is an insufficient supply of oxygen in the tissues due to restricted blood flow to a part of the body.

long QT syndrome (LQTS)

is an inherited or medically acquired heart rythm disorder that can cause fast, chaotic, and potentially dangerous arrhythmias.

mitral valve prolapse (MVP)

is the abmornal protrusion of a mitral valve that results in the inability of the valve to close completely.

myocardial infarction (MI)

commonly known as a heart attack, is the occlusion of one or more coronary arteries caused by plaque buildup.

orthostatic hypotension

is low blood pressure that occurs upon standing up and remains lower than normal as long as the patient remains standing.

pericardium

is the double-walled membranous sac that encloses the heart.

peripheral artery disease (PAD)

is an example of a peripheral vascular disease that is caused by atherosclerosis.

phlebitis

the inflammation of a vein.

Raynaud’s disease

a peripheral arterial occlusive disease in which intermittent attacks are trigger by cold temperatures or stress.

sinoatrial node (SA)

is located in the posterior wall of the right atrium near the entrance of the superior vena cava; it serves as the heart's natural pacemaker, initiating the electrical impulse that regulates heartbeats.

systole

the period of contraction that the ventricles undergo while pumping blood into the aorta and the pulmonary artery.

tachycardia

an abnormally rapid resting heart rate.

telemetry nurse

specializes in the use of technology within hospital unit to track vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rhythms, and oxygen levels.

temporal arteritis

is caused by inflammationg of the temporal arteries supplying blood to the head and brain.

thallium stress test (TST)

is a nuclear imaging test performed by injecting a small amount of thallium into the bloodstream to evaluate how well blood flows through the coronary arteries of the heart muscle during exercise.

thrombolytic

also known as a clot-busting drug, dissolves or causes a thrombus to break up.

thrombosis

the abnormal condition of having a thrombus.

thrombotic occlusion

the blocking of an artery by a thrombus.

thrombus

a blood clot attached to the interior wall of an artery or vein.

varicose veins

abnormally swollen veins that usually occur in the superficial veins of the legs.

venous thromboembolism (VTE)

is a blood clot that originates in a vein.

ventricular fibrillation

consists of rapid, irregular, and useless contractions of the ventricles.

ventricular tachycardia

is a very rapid heartbeat that begins within the ventricles.

heart

a hollow, muscular organ located in the thoracic cavity, between the lungs.

apex

the lower tip of the heart.

membrane

a thin layer of pliable tissue that covers or encloses a body part.

partietal pericardium

a fibrous sac that surrounds and protects the heart.

pericardial fluid

found between the layers of the pericardium, acts as the lubricant to prevent friction as the heart beats.

visceral pericardium

the inner layer of the pericardium that also forms the outer layer of the heart.

epicardium

the external layer of the heart and the inner layer of the pericardium.

myocardium

the middle and thickest of the heart’s three layers; consists of speicalized cardiac muscle tissue that is capable of the constant contraction and relaxation that creates the pumping movement of the heart.

enocardium

consists of epithial tissue, is the inner lining of the heat; comes into direct contant with the blood as it is being pumped through the heart.

coronary arteries

supply oxygen-rich blood to the myocardium.

atria

the two upper chambers of the heart, and are divided by the interatrial septum.

septum

a wall that seperates two chambers.

ventricles

the two lower chambers of the heart, and are divided by the interventricular septum.

tricuspid valve

controls the opening between the right atrium and the right ventricle.

tricuspid

means having three cusps (points).

pulmonary valve

located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery.

pulmonary

means pertaining to the lungs.

mitral valve

also known as bicuspid valve, is located between the left atrium and left ventricle.

mitral

means shaped like a biship’s mitre (hat).

bicuspid

means having two cusps (points).

aortic valve

located between the left ventricle and the aorta.

right atrium (RA)

recieves oxygen-poor blood from all tissues, except the lungs, through the superior and inferior venae cavae; blood flows out of this through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle.

right ventricle (RV)

pumps the oxygen-poor blood through the pulmonary semilunar valve and into the pulmonary artery, which carries it to the lungs.

left atrium (LA)

receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs through the four pulmonary veins. The blood flows out of this, through the mitral valve, and into the left ventricle.

left ventricle (LV)

receives oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium. Blood flows out of the this through the aortic semilunar valve and into the aorta, which carries it to all parts of the body, except the lungs.

venae cavae

returns oxygen-poor blood to the right atrium, continuing the cycle.

pulmonary circulation

the flow of blood only between the heart and lungs.

pulmonary arteries

carry deoxygenated blood out of the right ventricle and into the lungs.

pulmonary veins

carry the oxygenated blood from the lungs into the left atrium of the heart.

systemic circulation

includes the flow of blood to all parts of the body except the lungs.

heartbeat

the ability to pump blood effectively throughout the body; the contraction and relaxation of the heart must occur in exactly the correct sequence.

electrical impulses

determines the rate and regularity of the heartbeat from nerves that stimulate the myocardium of the chambers of the heart.

conduction system

set of electrical impulses controlled by the sinotrial node, atrioventricular node, and bundle of His.

atrioventricular node

located on the floor of the right atrium near the interatrial septum; transmits the lectrical impulses onward to the bundle of His.

bundle of His

a group of fibers located within the interventricular septum; these fibers carry an electrical impulse to ensure the sequence of the heart contractions; these impulses travel onward to the right and left ventricles and the Purkinje fibers.

Purkinje fibers

specialized conductive fibers located within the walls of the ventricles; relay the electrical impulses to the cells of the ventricles, enabling coordinated ventricular contraction.

sinus rhythm

normal beating of the heart.

P wave

due to the stimulation of the atria; is the first smaller bump shown on an EKG.

QRS complex

shows the stimulation of the ventricles; is the dip, rise, and dip that is shown on an EKG.

T wave

the recovery of the ventricles; is the last, slightly bigger bump shown on an EKG.