MI

Coronary Arteries

Blood vessels that supply blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart tissue.

Left Main

The primary coronary artery that branches into the left circumflex and left anterior descending arteries.

Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR)

The resistance that must be overcome to push blood through the circulatory system.

Preload

The degree of stretch of the cardiac muscle fibers at the end of diastole.

Afterload

The pressure the heart must work against to eject blood during systole.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

A disease that decreases the coronary arteries' ability to supply blood and nutrients to the heart.

Metabolic Syndrome

A cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Chronic Stable Angina

Predictable chest pain usually triggered by exertion and relieved by rest.

Unstable Angina

Chest pain that occurs at rest or with minimal exertion, indicating a higher risk of myocardial infarction.

Myocardial Infarction (MI)

The medical term for a heart attack, occurring when blood flow to the heart is blocked.

Sublingual Nitroglycerin

A medication taken under the tongue to relieve chest pain by dilating blood vessels.

Ischemia

Insufficient blood flow to a tissue causing a lack of oxygen and nutrients.

Ejection Fraction

The percentage of blood leaving the heart each time it contracts.

ST Segment Elevation

An important indicator on an EKG showing heart muscle damage.

Creatine Kinase (CK)

An enzyme that can indicate muscle damage; elevated levels can suggest a heart attack.

Troponin

A protein found in heart muscle; elevated levels indicate cardiac injury.

Holter Monitor

A portable device for continuously monitoring the electrical activity of the heart.

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)

A term used for any condition brought on by sudden reduced blood flow to the heart.

Cardiac Output

The amount of blood the heart pumps in one minute.

Stroke Volume

The amount of blood pumped by the heart with each beat.