Exploring Medical Language Chapter 10

heart

muscular cone-shaped organ the size of a fist, located behind the sternum and between the lungs. The pumping action of the heart circulates blood throughout the body. The heart consists of two upper chambers, the right atrium and the left atrium, and two lower chambers, the right ventricle and the left ventricle. The atria receive blood returning from the body through the veins. The ventricles pump blood through the arteries from the heart back to the body tissue. The atrial septum separates the atria and the ventricular septum separates the ventricles. The tricuspid and the mitral valves are referred to as the atrioventricular valves. Valves of the heart keep the blood flowing in one direction

bleeding profile

series of tests that measure the ability of various features in the blood to form a clot

tricuspid valve

located between the right atrium and the right ventricle

mitral valve

located between the left atrium and left ventricle

semilunar valves

pulmonary and aortic valves located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery and between the left ventricle and the aorta

pericardium

two-layer sac consisting of an external fibrous and an internal serous layer. The serous layer secretes a fluid that facilitates movement of the heart. This layer also covers the heart and is called the epicardium

epicardium

layer that covers the heart

myocardium

middle, thick, muscular layer

endocardium

inner lining of the heart

blood vessels

tubelike structures that carry blood throughout the body

arteries

blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. All arteries, with the exception of the pulmonary artery, carry oxygen and other nutrients from the heart to the body cells. The pulmonary artery, in contrast, carries carbon dioxide and other waste products from the heart to the lungs

arterioles

smallest arteries

aorta

largest artery in the body, originating at the left ventricle and descending through the thorax and abdomen

veins

blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart. All veins, with the exception of the pulmonary veins, carry blood containing carbon dioxide and other waste products. The pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart

venules

smallest veins

venae cavae

largest veins in the body. The inferior vena cava carries blood to the heart from the body parts below the diaphragm, and the superior vena cava returns the blood to the heart from the upper part of the body

capillaries

microscopic blood vessels that connect arterioles with venules. Materials are passed between the blood and tissue through the capillary walls

blood

composed of plasma and formed elements, such as erythrocytes, leukocytes, and thrombocytes

plasma

clear, straw-colored, liquid portion of blood in which cells are suspended. Plasma is approximately 90% water and comprises approximately 55% of the total blood vollume

erythrocytes

red blood cells that carry oxygen. Erythrocytes develop in bone marrow

platelets

one of the formed elements in the blood that is responsible for aiding in the clothing process

serum

clear, watery fluid portion of the blood that remains after a clot has formed

lymph

transparent, colorless, tissue fluid that, on entering the lymphatic system, is called lymph. Lymph contains lymphocytes and monocytes and flows in a one-way direction to the heart. Lymph is similar to blood plasma

lymphatic vessels

similar to veins, lymphatic vessels transport lymph from body tissues to the chest, where it enters the cardiovascular system. The vessels begin as capillaries spread throughout the body then merge into larger tubes that eventually become ducts in the chest. They provide a one-way flow for lymph gathered from the tissues to ducts in the chest, where lymph enters through veins into the circulatory system

lymph nodes

small, spherical bodies composed of lymphoid tissue. They may be singular or grouped together along the path of the lymph vessels. The nodes filter lymph to keep substances such as bacteria and other foreign agents from entering the blood. They also produce lymphocytes

spleen

located in the left side of the abdominal cavity between the stomach and the diaphragm. In adulthood, the spleen is the largest lymphatic organ in the body. Blood, rather than lymph, flows through the spleen. Blood is cleansed of microorganisms in the spleen. The spleen stores blood and destroys worn out red blood cells

thymus gland

one of the primary lymphatic organs, it is located anterior to the ascending aorta and posterior to the sternum between the lungs. It plays an important role in the development of the body's immune system, particularly from infancy to puberty. Around puberty the thymus gland atrophies so that most of the gland is connective tissue

multiple myeloma

tumors of the bone marrow

acute coronary syndrome

sudden symptoms of insufficient blood supply to the heart indicating unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction

aneurysm

ballooning of a weakened portion of an arterial wall

angina pectoris

chest pain, which may radiate to the left arm and jar, that occurs when there is an insufficient supply of blood to the heart muscle

arrhythmia

any disturbance or abnormality in the heart's normal rhythmic pattern

artial fibrillation

a cardiac arrhythmia characterized by chaotic, rapid electrical impulses in the atria. The atria quiver instead of contracting, causing irregular ventricular response and the ejection of a reduced amount of blood. The blood that remains in the atria becomes static, increasing the risk of clot formation, which may lead to a stroke.

cardiac arrest

sudden cessation of cardiac output and effective circulation, which requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation

cardiac tamponade

acute compression of the heart caused by fluid accumulation in the pericardial vacity

coarctation of the aorta

congenital cardiac condition characterized by a narrowing of the aorta

congenital heart disease

heart abnormality present at birth

congestive heart failure

inability of the heart to pump enough blood through the body to supply the tissues and organs with nutrients and oxygen

coronary artery disease

a condition that reduces the flow of blood through the coronary arteries to the myocardium, denying the myocardial tissue of sufficient oxygen and nutrients to function fully; most often caused by coronary atherosclerosis

deep vein thrombosis

condition of thrombus in a deep vein of the body. Most often occurs in the lower extremities. A clot can break off and travel to he lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism

hypertensive heart disease

disorder of the heart brought about by persistent high blood pressure

intermittent claudication

pain and discomfort in calf muscles while walking; a condition seen occlusive artery disease

mitral valve stenosis

a narrowing of the mitral valve from scarring, usually caused by episodes of rheumatic fever

myocardial infarction

death (necrosis) of a portion of the myocardium caused by lack of oxygen resulting from an interrupted blood supply

peripheral arterial disease

disease of the arteries, other than those of the heart and brain, that affects blood circulation, such as atherosclerosis and Raynaud disease. The most common symptom of peripheral atherosclerosis is intermittent claudication

rheumatic heart disease

damage to the heart muscle or heart valves caused by one or more episodes of rheumatic fever

varicose veins

distended or tortuous veins usually found in the lower extremities

Hodgkin disease

malignant disorder of the lymphatic tissue characterized by progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes, usually beginning in the cervical nodes

infectious mononucleosis

an acute infection caused by the Epstein-Bar virus characterized by swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, fatigue, and fever. The disease affects mostly young people and is usually transmitted by saliva

atrial fibrillation ablation

a procedure in which abnormal cells that trigger atrial fibrillation are destroyed by using radiofrequency energy

cardiac pacemaker

battery-powered apparatus implanted under the skin with leads placed on the heart or in the chamber of the heart

coronary artery bypass graft

surgical technique to bring a new blood supply to heart muscle by detouring around blocked arteries

coronary stent

a supportive scaffold device implanted in the coronary artery; used to prevent closure of the artery after angioplasty or atherectomy

femoroopopliteal bypass

surgery to establish an alternate route from femoral artery to popliteal artery to bypass an obstruction

intracoronary thrombolytic therapy

an injection of an intravenous dedication to dissolve blood clots in coronary (blood) vessels

percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

procedure in which a balloon is passed through a blood vessel into a coronary artery to the area where plaque is formed. Inflation of the balloon compresses the plaque against the vessel wall, expanding the inner diameter of the blood vessel, which allows the blood to circulate more freely

bone marrow aspiration

a syringe is used to aspirate a sample of the liquid portion of the bone marrow, usually from the ilium for study; used to diagnose, stage, and monitor disease and condition of the blood cells

bone marrow biopsy

a needle puncture to obtain a sample of bone marrow, usually from the ilium, for study; used to diagnose, stage, and monitor disease and condition of the blood cells

bone marrow transplant

infusion of normal bone marrow cells from a donor with matching cells and tissue to a recipient with a certain type of leukemia or anemia

digital subtraction angiography

a process of digital radiographic imaging of the blood vessels that "subtracts" or removes structures not being studied

Doppler ultrasound

a study that uses sound for detection of blood flow within the vessels; used to assess intermittent claudication, deep vein thrombosis, and other blood flow abnormalities

exercise stress test

a study that evaluates cardiac function during physical stress by riding a bike or walking on a treadmill. Electrocardiography, echocardiography, and nuclear medicine scanning are three types of tests performed to measure cardiac function while exercising. Echocardiography is fast becoming the preferred choice of testing over electrocradiography

single-photon emission computed tomography

a nuclear medicine scan that visualizes the heart from several different angles. A tracer substance such as sestamibi or thallium is injected intravenously. The SPECT scanner creates images from the tracer absorbed by the body tissues. It is used to assess damage to cardiac tissue

thallium test

a nuclear medicine test used to diagnose coronary artery disease and assess revascularization after coronary artery bypass surgery. Thallium, a radioactive isotope, is injected into the body intravenously; a radiation detector is placed over the heart and images are recorded. Thallium is taken up by the normal myocardial cells, but not in ischemia or infarction. These areas are identified as cold "spots" on the images produced. Thallium testing can be performed when the patient is at rest or it can be part of a stress test

transesophageal echocardiogram

an ultrasound test that examines cardiac function and structure by using an ultrasound probe placed in the esophagus, which provides views of the heart structures

cardiac catherterization

an examination to determine to condition of the heart and surrounding blood vessels. Acatheter is passed into the heart through blood vessel and is used to record pressures and inject a contrast medium, enabling the visualization of the coronary arteries, great vessels, and the heart chambers; used most frequently to evaluate chest pain and coronary arter y disease

impedance plethysmography

measures venous flow of the extremities with a plethysmograph to detect clots by measuring changes in blood volume and resistance (impedance) in the vein; used to detect deep vein thrombosis

auscultation

hearing sounds within the body through a stethoscope

blood pressure

pressure exerted by the blood against the blood vessel walls. A blood pressure measurement written as systolic pressure (120) and diastolic pressure (80) is commonly recorded as 120/80

percussion

tapping of a body surface with the fingers to determine the density of the part beneath

pulse

the number of times per minute the heartbeat is felt on the arterial wall. The pulse rate is most commonly felt over the radial artery; however, the pulsations can be felt over a number of sites, including the femoral and carotid arteries

sphygmomanometer

device used for measuring blood pressure

stethoscope

an instrument used to hear internal body sounds; used for performing auscultation and blood pressure measurement

C-reactive protein

a blood test to measure the amount of C-reactive protein in the blood, which, when elevated, indicates inflammation in the body. It is sometimes used in assessing the risk of cardiovascular disease

creatine phosphokinase

a blood test used to measure the level of creatine phophokinase, an enzyme of heart and skeletal muscle released into the blood after muscle injury or necrosis. The test is useful in evaluating patients with acute myocardial infarction

homocysteine

a blood test used to measure the amount of homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine is an amino acid that, if elevated, may indicate an increases risk of cardiovascular disease

lipid profile

a blood test used to measure the amount of lipids in a sample of blood. This test is used to evaluate the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and to monitor therapy of existing disease. Results provide levels of total cholesterol, high-density liporotein, low-density lipoprotein, very-low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides

troponin

a blood test that measures troponin, a heart muscle enzyme. Troponins are released into the blood approximately 3 hours after necrosis of the heart muscle and may remain elevated from 7 to 10 days. The test is useful in the diagnosis of a myocardial infarction

coagulation time

blood test to determine the time it takes for blood to form a clot

complete blood count and differential count

basic blood screening that measures hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell number and morphology, leukocyte count, and white blood cell differential and platelet count. This test is automated, thus done easily and rapidly, and provides a tremendous amount of information about the blood

hematocrit

a blood test to measure the volume and number of red blood cells. It is used in the diagnosis and evaluation of anemic patients

hemoglobin

blood test used to determine the concentration of oxygen-carrying components (hemoglobin) in red blood cells

prothrombin time

blood test used to determine certain coagulation activity defects and to monitor anticoagulation therapy for patients taking Coumadin, an oral anticoagulant medication.

atrioventricular

pertaining to the atrium and ventricle

cardiac

pertaining to the heart

hematopoiesis

formation of blood (cells)

hemostasis

stoppage of bleeding

cardiopulmonary resuscitation

emergency procedure consisting of artificial ventilation and external cardiac meassage

defibrillation

application of an electric shock to the myocardium through the chest wall to restore normal cardiac rhythm

diastole

phase in the cardiac cycle in which the ventricles relax between contractions (diastolic is the lower number of a blood pressure reading)

extracorporeal

occurring outside the body. During open-heart surgery extracorporeal circulation occurs when blood is diverted outside the body to a heart-lung machine

extravasation

escape of blood from the blood vessel into the tissue

fibrillation

rapid, quivering, noncoordinated contractions of the atria and ventricles

heart murmur

a short-duration humming sound of cardiac or vascular origin

hypertension

blood pressure that is above normal (greater than 140/90)

hypertriglyceridemia

excessive amount of triglycerides in the blood; associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease

hypotention

blood pressure that is below normal (less than 90/60)

lipids

fats and fatlike substances that serve as a source of in the body and are an important constituent of cell structure

lumen

space within a tubular part or organ, such as the space within a blood vessel

vasoconstrictor

agent or nerve that narrows the blood vessels