Cardiovascular System/Blood System

angina

intense chest pain caused by the inadequate blood supply and oxygen to the heart muscle

arrhythmia

cardiac irregularity in the beats of the heart

bacteremia

bacteria traveling in the bloodstream

bruit

the abnormal sound produced by blood passing through a narrowed artery; it is a soft, blowing sound heard on auscultation

cardiomyopathy

a weakening of the heart or disease that reduces the normal cardiac function

comatose

in a coma state of unconsciousness where you cannot be aroused or awakened

diaphoresis

profuse sweating

embolus

thrombus that has traveled through the vascular system

endarterectomy

opening of the artery and removing plaque and other occluded materials to restore blood flow

endocarditis

inflammation of the inner lining of the heart and valves

hypokalemia

low potassium in the blood

incompetent

a collapsed or blocked vessel that can no longer function normally

infarction

tissue death (necrosis) due to lack of blood supply

ischemia

oxygen deficiency-temporary deficiency of blood supply due to an obstruction

insufficiency

the improper closure of a blood vessel

leaflet

a thin, flat structure like the heart valves

lumen

tubular space within the artery or vein

malaise

generalized weakness, fatigue (subjective symptom)

MidCab

minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass

occlusion

state of being closed

palpitation

subjective feeling - complaints that it feels like your heart is not beating normally (pounding, skipping a beat, etc)

patent

open, accessible

perfusion

circulation of the blood

pericardial tamponade

the acute build-up of fluid in the pericardium of the heart; it is a life-threatening condition; treatment includes a thoracentesis

pledget

a small cotton compress used to absorb fluid, apply medication, or exclude air

prophylactic treatment

antibiotic therapy to protect against infections prior to invasive procedures

regurgitation

backflow of blood in the heart is caused by small masses called vegetations which are caused by bacteremia

thrombus

a stationary blood clot that blocks a vessel

abdominal aortic aneurysm

an enlargement, or ballooning, of the aortic artery

coronary artery disease

any disease that interferes with the ability of coronary arteries to deliver sufficient blood to the myocardium

percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

a minimally invasive procedure where a deflated balloon is inserted into the diseased blood vessel and then inflated to open up the artery

coronary artery bypass graft

a more invasive procedure that bypasses the blocked portion of the coronary artery from another piece of the blood vessel

arteriosclerosis

the physical hardening of the arterial walls

atherosclerosis

the hardened plaque within the arterial walls

hypercholesterolemia

when a person has elevated lipids within their bloodstream, causing them to have elevated cholesterol levels

varicose vein

an enlarged, twisted, superficial vein that has a definite bulge that can be seen subcutaneously

myxoma

a benign tumor in the heart

pledget

placed in gunshot wounds to seal off any air leaks from entering the vascular system

aneurysm/o

widened blood vessel

vascul/o

vessel (usually blood or lymph)

arteriol/o

arteriole

coron/o

heart

electr/o

electricity

embol/o

embolus (plug)

end/o

inner, within, absorbing, or containing

my/o

muscle

scler/o

hardening

sept/o

septum

sten/o

narrowing, stricture

valv/o, valvul/o

valve

ventricul/o

ventricle (of the heart or brain)

brady-

slow

extra-

outside

peri-

around

trans-

across

intra-

within, inside

extra-

on the outside

-cardia

heart condition

-gram

record, writing

-graph

instrument for recording

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

-stenosis

narrowing, stricture

bypass

altering the route of passage of the contents of a tubular body part

mapping

ocating the route of passage of electrical impulses and/or locating functional areas in a body part

supplement

putting in or on a biological or synthetic material that physically reinforces and/or augments the function of a portion of a body part.

insertion

putting in a non-biological appliance that monitors, assists, performs, or prevents a physiological function but does not physically take the place of a body part

revision

correcting, to the extent possible, a malfunctioning or displaced device.

angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor

lowers blood pressure by inhibiting conversion of angiotensin I (an inactive enzyme) to angiotensin II (a potent vasoconstrictor); this helps to manage heart failure

accupril/quinapril, altace/ramipril, capoten/captopril, lotensin/benazepril, mavik/trandolapril, monopril/fosinopril, vasotec/enalapril, zestril/lisinopril

ACE inhibitors

anti-arrhythmics

prevent, alleviate, or correct cardiac arrhythmias (dysrhythmias) by stabilizing the electrical conduction of the heart (atrial or ventricular)

adenocard/adenosine, atro-pen/atropine, bretylol/bretylium, cordarone/amiodarone, digoxin/digitoxin/digitalis/lanoxin, norpace/disopyramide, procanbid/pronestyl/procainamide, quinaglute/quinalan/quinidine, tonocard/tocainide, xylocaine/lidocaine

anti-arrhythmics

beta blocker

blocks the effects of adrenaline, which slows nerve pulses through the heart, which causes a decrease in heart rate

inderal/inderal LA/propranolol, lopressor/metoprolol, tenormin/atenolol

beta blockers

calcium channel blocker

blocks movement of calcium (required for blood vessel contraction) into the myocardial cells and arterial walls, causing heart rate and blood pressure to decrease

cardene/nicardipine, cardizem/diltiazem, isoptin/verapamil, procardia/nifedipine, norvasc/amlodipine

calcium channel blockers

diuretic

works within the kidneys to increase the removal (excretion) of water and sodium

aldactazide/combination of apironolactone and hydrochlorothiazide, aldactone/spironolactone, bumex/bumetanide, diamox/acetazolamide, dyazide/combination of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene, hydrodiuril/hydrochlorothiazide, hygroton/chlorthalidone, lasix/furosemide, mannitol/osmitrol, zaroxolyn/metolazone

diuretics

nitrate

dilates blood vessels in the heart

bumetanide/bumex, nitroglycerin/nitrolingual, nitrogard, nitrostat

nitrates

statin

works in the liver and bloodstream to reduce cholesterol

atorvastatin/lipitor, simvastatin/zocor

statins

vasodilator

works in large blood vessels to relax the smooth muscles to decrease vascular resistance

hydralazine/apresoline, nitroprusside/nitropress

vasodilators

apex

tip or end of cone-shaped structure, such as the heart

cardiac

pertaining to the heart

coronary circulation

blood flow through the vessels supplying the heart

endocardium

the inside lining of the heart

epicardium

the outer layer of the heart wall

intercostal

the space betweeen two ribs

mediastinum

area between the lungs, containing the heart, aorta, venae cavae, esophagus, and trachea

myocardium

all the heart muscle

parietal

pertaining to the outer layer of the pericardium and other body cavities

pericardium

structure around the heart

pulmonary

pertaining to the lungs and their blood supply

sternum

long, flat bone forming the center of the anterior wall of the chest

systemic

relating to the entire organism

visceral

pertaining to the internal organs

aorta

main trunk of the systemic arterial system

atrioventricular

pertaining to both the atrium and the ventricle