Cardiovascular Nursing Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from the Cardiovascular Nursing Review Module covering heart anatomy, electrophysiology, disorders, and clinical terms.

Endocardium

Inner layer of the heart that lines the inside of the heart and valves.

Myocardium

Middle layer of the heart made up of muscle fibers responsible for heart contraction.

Epicardium

Exterior layer of the heart where essential coronary arteries are located and the pericardium is found.

Pericardium

Thin layer of fibrous tissue containing pericardial fluid that lubricates the lining of the heart.

Systole

Events in the heart during contraction of the two top chambers (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles).

Diastole

Phase characterized by relaxation of the lower chambers, allowing the ventricles to fill in preparation for contraction.

Apical Impulse

Also called the point of maximal impulse (PMI), located at the 15th intercostal space (ICS), left mid-clavicular line.

Cardiac Output

Volume of blood in liters ejected by the heart each minute, normally $5\text{ L/min}$.

Stroke Volume

Volume of blood ejected by the left ventricle during each systole.

Preload

Degree of myocardial stretch at the end of diastole and just before contraction, determined by the amount of blood returning to the heart.

Starling's Law

Principle stating that the more the heart is filled during diastole, the more forcefully it contracts.

Contractility

Force generated by the contracting myocardium, enhanced by catecholamines, sympathetic activity, and medications like Digoxin, Dopamine, and Dobutamine.

Afterload

Pressure or resistance that the ventricles must overcome to eject blood through the semilunar valves.

Automaticity

Ability of cardiac cells to initiate an electrical impulse by itself.

Excitability

Ability of cardiac cells to respond to an electrical impulse.

Conductivity

Ability of cardiac cells to transmit an electrical impulse from one cell to another.

Sinoatrial (SA) Node

Pacemaker of the heart located at the junction of the Superior Vena Cava and Right Atrium, initiating $60\text{ to }100\text{ bpm}$.

Atrioventricular (AV) Node

Node located in the interatrial septum that delays the electric impulse for $0.8\text{ milliseconds}$ to allow ventricular filling ($40\text{ to }60\text{ beats/min}$).

Purkinje Fibers

Fibers located in the walls of the ventricles that cause ventricular contractions ($20\text{ to }40\text{ beats/min}$) and act as a backup pacemaker.

Baroreceptors

Specialized nerve cells located in the aortic arch and internal carotid arteries that are sensitive to changes in blood pressure.

P Wave

ECG wave representing atrial muscle depolarization, normally small, smoothly rounded, and no wider than $0.12\text{ second}$.

QRS Complex

ECG complex representing ventricular muscle depolarization, with a normal width of $0.04\text{ to }0.10\text{ second}$.

T Wave

ECG wave representing ventricular repolarization, which is normally not more than $5\text{ mm}$.

PR Interval

ECG duration measured from the beginning of the P wave to the beginning of the QRS complex, normally $0.12\text{ to }0.20\text{ seconds}$.

QT Interval

ECG duration representing the total time for ventricular depolarization and repolarization, usually $0.32\text{ to }0.40\text{ seconds}$.

U Wave

Part of an ECG that may reflect Purkinje fiber repolarization, usually visible only when serum potassium level is low (Hypokalemia).

Atherosclerosis

Abnormal accumulation of fats forming plaque within the arterial wall; the most common cause of cardiovascular disease.

High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

Known as good cholesterol because it transports other lipoproteins to the liver for degradation and excretion.

Heart Failure (HF)

Inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the needs of tissues for oxygen and nutrients.

Systolic Heart Failure

Heart failure characterized by an alteration in ventricular contraction resulting in weakened heart muscle.

Diastolic Heart Failure

Heart failure characterized by a stiff and non-compliant heart muscle that makes ventricular filling difficult.

Left-Sided Heart Failure

Heart failure resulting in pulmonary congestion, manifested by dyspnea, cough, pulmonary crackles, orthopnea, and frothy, pink sputum.

Right-Sided Heart Failure

Heart failure resulting in systemic venous congestion, causing jugular vein distention, dependent edema, hepatomegaly, and ascites.

Arteriosclerosis

Thickening or hardening of the arterial wall.

Mitral Stenosis

Valvular condition where tissue thickens and narrows the mitral valve opening, preventing blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle.

Mitral Insufficiency (Regurgitation)

Incompetence of the mitral valve preventing complete closure during systole, allowing blood to flow back from the left ventricle into the left atrium.

Aortic Stenosis

Narrowing of the orifice between the left ventricle and the aorta, often caused by degenerative calcifications from mechanical stress.

Infective Endocarditis

Microbial infection of the endothelial surface of the heart, commonly developing in individuals with prosthetic valves or structural defects.

Osler's Nodes

Small painful nodules present in the pads of fingers or toes in patients with infective endocarditis.

Janeway Lesions

Irregular, red or purple, painless, flat macules on the palms, fingers, and toes in patients with infective endocarditis.

Roth Spots

Hemorrhages with pale centers observed in the fundi of the eyes caused by emboli in infective endocarditis.

Myocarditis

Inflammation of the myocardium characterized by necrosis and cell injury associated with heart muscle inflammation.

Pericarditis

Inflammation of the pericardium, the membranous sac enveloping the heart.

Pericardial Friction Rub

Creaky or scratchy sound heard best at the end of exhalation at the left sternal edge, diagnostic of pericarditis.

Pericardiocentesis

Procedure in which pericardial fluid is aspirated from the pericardial sac using a needle.

Cardiac Tamponade

Condition where sudden accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac restricts ventricular filling, leading to decreased cardiac output.

Beck's Triad

Clinical combination of jugular vein distention, hypotension, and distant or muffled heart sounds indicative of cardiac tamponade.

Pulsus Paradoxus

A drop in blood pressure greater than $10\text{ mm Hg}$ during inspiration.

Angina Pectoris

Clinical syndrome characterized by paroxysms of pain or pressure in the chest caused by insufficient coronary blood flow.

Stable Angina

Predictable and consistent chest pain occurring on exertion that is relieved by rest and/or nitroglycerin.

Variant Angina (Prinzmetal's Angina)

Chest pain at rest with reversible ST-segment elevation caused by coronary artery vasospasm.

Myocardial Infarction (MI)

Condition where an area of the myocardium is permanently destroyed due to plaque rupture and thrombus occlusion.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Heart muscle disease with extensive damage to myofibrils, dilation of both ventricles, and impaired systolic function.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Asymmetric ventricular hypertrophy and stiff left ventricle resulting in diastolic filling abnormalities and outflow obstruction.

Buerger's Disease (Thromboangiitis Obliterans)

Recurring inflammation of intermediate and small arteries and veins of the extremities, strongly linked to heavy smoking.

Raynaud's Phenomenon

Form of intermittent arteriolar vasoconstriction resulting in coldness, pain, and sequential color changes (white, blue, red) in extremities.

Virchow's Triad

Three risk factors for deep vein thrombosis: vessel wall injury, venous stasis, and altered blood coagulation.

Aneurysm

Localized sac or dilation formed at a weak point in the wall of an artery.