EMT CHAP. 17 (cardiovascular emergencies)

acute coronary syndrome (ACS)

a group of symptoms caused by myocardial ischemia; includes angina and myocardial infarction

acute myocardial infarction (AMI)

a heart attack; death of heart muscle following obstruction of blood flow to it. “Acute” in this context means “new” or “happening right now”

angina pectoris

transient (short-lived) chest discomfort caused by partial or temporary block-age of blood flow to the heart muscle; also called angina

anterior

the front surface of the body; the side facing you in the standard anatomic position

aorta

the main artery, which receives blood from the left ventricle and delivers it to all the other arteries that carry blood to the tissues of the body

aortic aneurysm

a weakness in the wall of the aorta that makes it susceptible to rupture

aortic valve

the one-way valve that lies between the left ventricle and the aorta and keeps blood from flowing back into the left ventricle after the left ventricle ejects its blood into the aorta; one of four heart valves

artifact

a tracing on an ECG that is the result of interference, such as patient movement, rather than the heart’s electrical activity

asystole

the complete absence of all heart electrical activity

atherosclerosis

a disorder in which cholesterol and calcium build up inside the walls of blood vessels, eventually leading to partial or complete blockage of blood flow

atrium

one of the two upper chambers of the heart

automaticity

the ability of cardiac muscle cells to contract without stimulation from the nervous system

autonomic nervous system

the part of the nervous system that controls the involuntary activities of the body such as the heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion of food

bradycardia

a slow heart rate, less than 60 beats/min

cardiac arrest

an event in which