Med Term Ch8

main function

circulates blood, nutrients, oxygen, and removes waste

heart

a muscular organ that pumps blood through vessels

blood vessels

tubes that carry blood throughout the body

arteries

carry blood away from the heart (usually oxygenated)

veins

carry blood to the heart (usually deoxygenated)

capillaries

tiny blood vessels where gas and nutrient exchange occurs

atria (right and left)

upper chambers that receive blood

ventricles (right and left)

lower chambers that pump blood out

septum

wall dividing the right and left sides of the heart

valves

prevent backflow of blood (tricuspid, mitral, pulmonary, aortic)

pericardium

the sac that contains and protects the heart

sinoatrial (SA) node

the pacemaker of the heart; initiates heartbeat

function of SA node

sends electrical impulses that cause the atria to contract

atrioventricular (AV) node

delays the impulse before sending it to ventricles

bundle of his and purkinje fibers

distribute impulse throughout ventricles

combining form vascular/o

blood vessel

combining form atri/o

atrium

combining form ather/o

fatty plaque

combining form phleb/o

vein

combining form sept/o

septum (wall)

combining form hemangi/o

blood vessel

combining form arteri/o

artery

combining form sphygm/o

pulse

combining form embol/o

embolus (clot or foreign object in bloodstream)

combining form sten/o

narrowing or stricture

suffixes -cardia

heart condition

suffixes -graphy

process of recording

suffixes -stenosis

narrowing

prefixes extra-

outside

prefixes endo-

within

myocardial infarction

heart attack caused by blockage in coronary arteries

ischemia

lack of blood supply to a tissue, often due to obstruction

embolism

blockage of a vessel by a clot or foreign matter

arrhythmia (dysrhythmia)

abnormal heartbeat (irregular, too fast or too slow)

tachycardia

rapid heartbeat, usually over 100 bpm

bradycardia

slow heartbeat, usually under 60 bpm

fibrillation

irregular and rapid heartbeat; atrial or ventricular

hypertension

high blood pressure

hypotension

low blood pressure

cardiomegaly

enlargement of the heart