Cardiovascular System and Pharmacological Treatments

Vocabulary terms covering cardiovascular anatomy, diseases like hypertension and stroke, and various classes of cardiac and hematologic medications.

Arteries

Blood vessels that carry blood AWAY from the heart.

Veins

Blood vessels that carry blood TO the heart.

Atria

Chambers of the heart that receive blood brought to the heart from the veins.

Ventricles

Chambers of the heart that pump blood to the lungs or other body tissues.

Systole

The period when the heart is contracting, often referred to as the Squeeze.

Diastole

The period when the heart is relaxing.

Capacitance

The amount of blood held in the veins.

Cardiac Output (CO)

The force and volume of blood coming out from the heart.

Peripheral Vascular Resistance (PVR)

The degree to which blood vessels constrict or relax.

Hypertension (HTN)

leading cause of death in the US

Silent Killer

A term for Hypertension (HTN) because damage to vital organs occurs even if the patient does not feel its effects.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzymes (ACE)

Medications ending in -pril (e.g., Lotensin, Zestril, Altace) that relax blood vessels by inhibiting the conversion of Angiotensin I to II.

Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB)

Medications ending in -sartan (e.g., Avapro, Cozaar, Diovan) that relax blood vessels by blocking angiotensin receptor II.

Calcium Channel Blocker (CCB)

Medications ending in -ipine (e.g., Norvasc, Cardene, Cardizem) that relax blood vessels by blocking calcium, which normally causes contraction.

Beta-Blockers

Medications ending in -lol (e.g., Tenormin, Lopressor, Coreg, Betapace) that reduce heart rate and contractibility by inhibiting catecholamines.

Sinus Rhythm

The medical term for a normal heart beat.

Arrhythmia

Any deviation from normal sinus rhythm, diagnosed using an Electrocardiogram (EKG).

Tachycardia

An increased heart rate of more than $120\,\text{BPM}$ that is not exercise induced.

Bradycardia

A decreased heart rate of less than $60\,\text{BPM}$.

Flutter

A condition where select portions of the heart beat slightly out of sequence, reaching $200\text{ to }350\,\text{BPM}$.

Fibrillation

A condition where large portions of the heart beat out of sequence, reaching $100\text{ to }175\,\text{BPM}$.

Sodium Channel Blockers

Agents like Norpace and Xylocaine that slow sodium ion movement into myocardial cells to dampen abnormal rhythms.

Potassium Channel Blockers

Agents like Cordarone and Tikosyn that block potassium channels, requiring a stronger electrical charge to make the heart beat.

Angina

Chest pain caused by myocardial ischemia (decreased blood flow).

Stable Angina

Chest pain that is effort induced from physical activity or emotional stress.

Unstable Angina

Chest pain occurring with increasing frequency and decreasing response to treatment.

Myocardial Infarction (MI)

A heart attack occurring when the heart is deprived of $O_2$ long enough for cells to die.

Heart Failure

A condition where the heart is no longer able to pump enough $O_2$-Rich blood to meet the body's needs.

Nitrates

Medications like Nitrostat that relieve chest pain and ischemia by dilating coronary vessels; common side effects include HA and Orthostatic Hypotension.

Loop Diuretics

Medications such as Lasix (furosemide) that inhibit the reabsorption of sodium, chloride, and water in the kidneys.

Aldosterone Antagonists

Drugs like Aldactone (spironolactone) that increase urine production by inhibiting the hormone that regulates salt and water.

Atherosclerosis

The narrowing of arteries due to cholesterol and fat deposits on their inner surface.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

The type of lipoprotein considered 'Good' cholesterol.

Low-Density lipoprotein (LDL)

The type of lipoprotein considered 'Bad' cholesterol.

Triglycerides

Neutral fat made from carbohydrates.

HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors

Also known as statins (e.g., Lipitor, Zocor), these decrease cholesterol by slowing the production of LDL.

Fibric Acid Derivatives

Medications like TriCor and Lopid that lower blood triglyceride levels.

Bile Acid Sequestrant

Medications like Questran that increase the excretion of bile acids to digest cholesterol.

ATP Citrate Lyase Inhibitor

A class of drug represented by Nexletol (bempedoic acid) that inhibits cholesterol synthesis in the liver.

Thrombus

A blood clot that stays in the location where it originated.

Embolus

A clot that circulates in the blood.

Pulmonary Embolism (PE)

A piece of a clot that travels to the lungs and blocks the pulmonary artery.

FAST

An acronym for stroke identification: Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call.

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

An event that interrupts $O_2$ supply to a localized area of the brain.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

A brief interruption in blood flow to an area of the brain.

Ischemic Stroke

A stroke caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain, accounting for $80\%$ of all strokes.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

A stroke caused by too much blood in the skull, often due to a ruptured vessel or aneurysm.

Direct Thrombin Inhibitors

Medications like Angiomax and Pradaxa that directly bind to blood clots.

Anticoagulant

Agents including Heparin and Lovenox that inhibit and inactivate factors in the clotting cascade.

Factor Xa Inhibitors

Medications like Eliquis and Xarelto that block Factor Xa activity to prevent blood clots.

Vitamin K Antagonists

Medications like Coumadin (warfarin) that prevent the production of Vitamin-K dependent clotting factors.

Antiplatelet

Medications like Plavix that prevent fibrinogen from binding by blocking adenosine receptors.

Thrombolytic Agents

Often called 'Clot Busters', these agents like Activase (alteplase) dissolve existing clots.

Plant sterol esters

A CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) option found to lower LDL.

Alpha tocopherol (Vit E)

An antioxidant used for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetic neuropathy.