medical terminology chapter 5

angi/o

blood or lymph vessel

aort/o

aorta

arteri/o

artery

arther/o

plaque, fatty substance

brady-

slow

cardi/o

heart

-crasia

a mixture of blending

-emia

blood, blood condition

erythr/o

red

hem/o, hemat/o

blood, relating to the blood

leuk/o

white

phleb/o

vein

tachy-

fast, rapid

thromb/o

clot

ven/o

vein

ACE inhibitor

medication administered to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure.

anemia

a disorder characterized by lower than normal levels of red blood cells in the blood.

aneurysm

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

angina

episodes of severe chest pain due to inadequate blood flow to the myocardium.

angioplasty

mechanically widening a narrowed or obstructed blood vessel.

anticoagulant

medication that slows coagulation and prevents new clots from forming.

aplastic anemia

a condition marked by the absence of all formed blood elements.

arrythmia

a loss of the normal rhythm of the heartbeat.

atherectomy

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

atheroma

a deposit of fatty plaque on or within the arterial wall.

athersclerosis

hardening and narrowing of the arteries due to a buildup of cholesterol plaque.

atrial fibrillation

irregular twitching of the muscular wall of the atria.

automated external defibrillator

electronic equipment that externally shocks the heart to restore a normal cardiac rhythm.

beta-blocker

medication administered to reduce the workload of the heart by slowing the rate of the heartbeat.

blood dyscrasia

any pathologic condition of the cellular elements of the blood.

bradycardia

an abnormally slow resting heart rate, usually at a rate of less than 60 beats per minute.

cardiac arrest

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

cardiac catherterization

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

cardiomyopathy

all diseases of the heart muscle.

carotid endarterectomy

the surgical removal of the lining of a portion of a clogged carotid artery.

cholesterol

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

chronic venous insufficiency

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

coronary artery disease

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

diuretic

medication administered to increase urine secretion to rid the body of excess salt and water.

electrocardiogram

a diagnostic test that measures the electrical activity within muscle fibers in response to nerve stimulation.

embolism

the sudden blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus.

embolus

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

endocarditis

inflammation of the inner lining of the heart.

erythrocytes

red blood cells

hemoglobin

the oxygen-carrying blood protein pigment of the erythrocytes.

hemolytic anemia

condition characterized by an inadequate number of circulating red blood cells due to their premature destruction by the spleen.

hemostasis

to stop or control bleeding.

leukemia

a type of cancer characterized by a progressive increase in the number of abnormal leukocytes found in blood forming tissues, other organs, and in the circulating blood.

leukocytes

white blood cells

leukopenia

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

megaloblastic anemia

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

myelodysplastic syndrome

a type of cancer in which there is insufficient production of one or more types of blood cells due to dysfunction of the bone marrow.

myocardial infarction

the occlusion of one or more coronary arteries caused by plaque buildup (heart attack)

orthostatic hypotension

low blood pressure that occurs upon standing up.

pernicious anemia

anemia caused by a lack of a protein that helps the body absorb vitamin B12 from the gastrointestinal tract.

phelbitis

inflammation of a vein.

Raynaud's disease

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

sepsis

an infection that results from bacteria or other infectious organisms entering the bloodstream.

sickle cell anemia

a genetic disorder that causes abnormal hemoglobin, resulting in some red blood cells assuming an abnormal sickle shape.

tachycardia

an abnormally rapid resting heartbeat usually at a rate of more than 100 beats per minute.

temporal arteritis

a form of vasculitis that can cause headaches, visual impairment, jaw pain, and other symptoms.

thallium stress test

performed to evaluate blood flow to the heart during exercise by injecting a small amount of thallium into the blood.

thrombocytopenia

a condition in which there is an abnormally small number of platelets circulating in the blood.

thrombolytic

medication that 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.

transfusion reaction

a serious and potentially fatal, complication of a blood transfusion in which a severe immune response occurs because the patient's blood and the donated blood do not match.

valvulitis

an inflammation of a heart valve.

varicose veins

abnormally swollen veins, usually occurring in the superficial veins of the legs.

ventricular fibrillation

rapid, irregular, and useless contractions of the ventricles.

ventricular tachycardia

a very rapid heartbeat that begins within the ventricles.

pericardium

the double-walled membranous sac that encloses the heart