Cardiovascular System

Atri/o

Atrium

Ventricul/o

Ventricles

Cardi/o

Heart

Sphygm/o

Pulse

Angi/o, Vas/o, Vascul/o

Vessel

Aort/o

Aorta

Arteri/o

Artery

Arteriol/o

Arteriole

Phleb/o, Ven/o

Vein

Venul/o

Venule

Angina

to choke

Angina Pectoris

Severe chest pain and a feeling of suffocation

Angiospasm

Sudden contraction of the smooth muscle in a blood vessel wall, which can temporarily interrupt blood flow

Arrhythmia

Any irregularity in the heartbeat

Cardiac Arrest

Cessation of cardiac function due to non-synchronous muscular contractions

Coronary Artery Disease

any disease process that impairs the ability of the coronary arteries to deliver an adequate supply of blood to the heart muscle

Embolism

Sudden blockage of an artery by a lot or other particle circulating in the blood.

Hypertension

Consistently elevated blood pressure

\-tension

blood pressure

Hypotension

Abnormally low blood pressure

Ischemia

Temporary oxygen deficiency due to interruption of blood flow to a tissue or an organ

isch

to suppress

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

Enlargement of the left ventricular wall

Murmur

Soft blowing sounds heard between normal beats of the heart.

Myocardial Infarction

Also known as heart attack. Portion of heart muscle is impaired resulting in death of tissue in that area.

infarct

area of tissue death

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Heart disease characterized by rheumatic fever due to persistent streptococcal infection

Raynaud’s Phenomenon

vascular disorder in which the fingers and toes become cold, numb, and painful as a result of temporary constriction of blood vessels in the skin.

angiography

X-ray recording of the blood vessels after injection of a contrast agent

cardiac catheterization

procedure in which a small tube is pushed through a blood vessel until it reaches the heart; used to withdraw a sample of blood directly from the heart and to evaluate the coronary arteries

echocardiography

technique in which electrodes placed on the surface of the body are used to record patterns of electrical activity in the heart; commonly referred to as ECG or EKG

pericardiocentesis

procedure in which a hollow needle is inserted through the chest wall into the fibrous sac surrounding the heart (the pericardium) to withdraw fluid for diagnostic purposes or to relieve pressure on the heart

Sphygmomanometry

measurement of blood pressure using a blood pressure cuff ( a sphygmomanometer)

venography

technique in which x-rays are used to visualize the veins following injection of a contrast agent

ventriculography

x-ray recording of a heart ventricle following injection of a contrast agent

stress test

Use of a treadmill or other exercise equipment to measure a patient’s cardio-vascular response to exertion ; changes in the ECG during exercise can provide evidence of various types of heart

balloon angioplasty

procedure in which a deflated balloon is pushed through a blood vessel to a site of obstruction and is inflated to restore the vessel to its normal size

cardioversion

application of an electrical shock to the chest to restore a normal rhythm to the heart beat; also referred to as defibrillation

coronary artery bypass graft

procedure in which a vein taken from the leg or other part of the body is grafted onto the heart to circumvent an obstruction in a coronary artery; also referred to as CABG (“cabbage”)

phlebotomy

surgical opening of a vein (e.g., to draw blood or remove a blood clot)

valvotomy

Surgical incision into a valve, usually to increase the size of the opening

valvuloplasty

Surgical repair or replacement of a valve; if a balloon is used to open the defective valve, the procedure is called balloon valvuloplasty