CH 10 Key Terms

Occlusion

A closing off or obstruction, as of a vessel

Patent ductus arteriosus

Persistence of the ductus arteriosus after birth; the ductus arteriosus is a vessel that connects the pulmonary artery to the descending aorta in the fetus to bypass the lungs

Phlebitis

Inflammation of a vein

Plaque

A patch; with regard to the cardiovascular system, a deposit of fatty material and other substances on a vessel wall that impedes blood flow and may block the vessel; atheromatous plaque

Rheumatic heart disease

Damage to heart valves after infection with a type of Streptococcus (group A hemolytic Streptococcus); the antibodies produced in response to the infection produce valvular scarring usually involving the mitral valve

Septal defect

An opening in the septum between the atria or ventricles; a common cause is persistence of the foramen ovale, an opening between the atria that bypasses the lungs in fetal circulation

Shock

Circulatory failure resulting in an inadequate blood supply to the tissues; cardiogenic shock is caused by heart failure; hypovolemic shock is caused by a loss of blood volume; septic shock is caused by bacterial infection

Stenosis

Constriction or narrowing of an opening

Stroke

See cerebrovascular accident

Syncope

A temporary loss of consciousness caused by inadequate blood flow to the brain; fainting

Tachycardia

An abnormally rapid heart rate, usually over $100\,\text{bpm}$

Thrombophlebitis

Inflammation of a vein associated with formation of a blood clot

Thrombosis

Development of a blood clot within a vessel

Thrombus

A blood clot that forms within a blood vessel (root: thromb/o)

Varicose vein

A twisted and swollen vein resulting from breakdown of the valves, pooling of blood, and chronic dilatation of the vessel (root: varic/o); also called varix or varicosity

Ablation

Removal or destruction. In cardiac ablation, a catheter is used to destroy a portion of the heart's conduction pathway to correct an arrhythmia

Angioplasty

A procedure that reopens a narrowed vessel and restores blood flow; commonly accomplished by surgically removing plaque, inflating a balloon within the vessel, or installing a device (stent) to keep the vessel open

Artificial pacemaker

A battery-operated device that generates electrical impulses to regulate the heartbeat; it may be external or implanted, may be designed to respond to need, and may have the capacity to prevent tachycardia

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Restoration of cardiac output and pulmonary ventilation after cardiac arrest using artificial respiration and chest compression or cardiac massage

Cardioversion

Correction of an abnormal cardiac rhythm; may be accomplished pharmacologically, with antiarrhythmic drugs, or by application of electric current

Coronary angiography

Radiographic study of the coronary arteries after introduction of an opaque dye by means of a catheter threaded through blood vessels into the heart

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)

Surgical creation of a shunt to bypass a blocked coronary artery; the aorta is connected to a point past the obstruction with another vessel or a piece of another vessel, usually the left internal mammary artery or part of the leg's saphenous vein

Coronary calcium scan

Method for visualizing vessel-narrowing calcium deposits in coronary arteries; useful for diagnosing coronary artery disease in people at moderate risk or those who have undiagnosed chest pain; also known as a heart scan

Creatine kinase MB (CK-MB)

Enzyme released in increased amounts from cardiac muscle cells following myocardial infarction (MI); serum assays help diagnose MI and determine the extent of muscle damage

CT angiography (CTA)

Computed tomography scan used to visualize vessels in the heart and other organs; requires only a small amount of dye injected into the arm; can rule out blocked coronary arteries that may cause a myocardial infarction (heart attack) in people with chest pain or abnormal stress tests

Defibrillation

Use of an electronic device (defibrillator) to stop fibrillation by delivering a brief electric shock to the heart; the shock may be delivered to the surface of the chest, as by an automated external defibrillator (AED), or directly into the heart through wire leads, using an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)

Echocardiography

A noninvasive method that uses ultrasound to visualize internal cardiac structures

Lipoprotein

A compound of protein with lipid; lipoproteins are classified according to density as very low-density (VLDL), low-density (LDL), and high-density (HDL); relatively higher levels of HDLs have been correlated with cardiovascular health

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)

Dilatation of a sclerotic blood vessel by means of a balloon catheter inserted into the vessel and then inflated to flatten plaque against the arterial wall

Stent

A small metal device in the shape of a coil or slotted tube that is placed inside an artery to keep the vessel open, for example, after balloon angioplasty

Stress test

Evaluation of physical fitness by continuous ECG monitoring during exercise; in a thallium stress test, a radioactive isotope of thallium is administered to trace blood flow through the heart during exercise

Troponin (Tn)

A protein in muscle cells that regulates contraction; increased serum levels, primarily in the forms TnT and TnI, indicate recent myocardial infarction (MI)

Appendix

A small, finger-like mass of lymphoid tissue attached to the first part of the large intestine

Lymph

The thin, plasma-like fluid that drains from the tissues and is transported in lymphatic vessels (root: lymph/o)

Lymph node

A small mass of lymphoid tissue along the path of a lymphatic vessel that filters lymph (root: lymphaden/o)

Lymphatic system

The system that drains fluid and proteins from the tissues and returns them to the bloodstream; this system also participates in immunity and aids in absorption of fats from the digestive tract

Peyer patches

Aggregates of lymphoid tissue in the lining of the intestine

Right lymphatic duct

The lymphatic duct that drains fluid from the body's upper right side

Spleen

A large reddish-brown organ in the upper left region of the abdomen; it filters blood and destroys old red blood cells (root: splen/o)

Thoracic duct

The lymphatic duct that drains fluid from the upper left side of the body and all of the lower body; left lymphatic duct

Thymus

A lymphoid organ in the upper part of the chest beneath the sternum; it functions in immunity (root: thym/o)

Tonsil

Small mass of lymphoid tissue located in region of the throat (pharynx)

Lymphadenitis

Inflammation and enlargement of lymph nodes, usually as a result of infection

Lymphangitis

Inflammation of lymphatic vessels as a result of bacterial infection; appears as painful red streaks under the skin

Lymphedema

Swelling of tissues with lymph caused by obstruction or excision of lymphatic vessels

Lymphoma

Any neoplastic disease of lymphoid tissue

aorta

The largest artery; it receives blood from the left ventricle and branches to all parts of the body (root: aort/o)

aortic valve

The valve at the entrance to the aorta

apex

The point of a cone-shaped structure (adjective: apical); the apex of the heart is formed by the left ventricle and is pointed toward the inferior and left

artery

A vessel that carries blood away from the heart; all except the pulmonary and umbilical arteries carry oxygenated blood (roots: arter, arteri/o)

arteriole

A small vessel that carries blood from the arteries into the capillaries (root: arteriol/o)

atrioventricular (AV) node

A small mass in the lower septum of the right atrium that passes impulses from the sinoatrial (SA) node toward the ventricles

atrioventricular (AV) valve

A valve between the atrium and ventricle on the right and left sides of the heart; the right AV valve is the tricuspid valve; the left is the mitral valve

atrium

An entrance chamber, one of the two upper receiving chambers of the heart (root: atri/o)

AV bundle

A band of fibers that transmits impulses from the atrioventricular (AV) node to the top of the interventricular septum; it divides into the right and left bundle branches, which descend along the two sides of the septum; the bundle of His

blood pressure

The force exerted by blood against the wall of a vessel

bundle branches

Branches of the AV bundle that divide to the right and left sides of the interventricular septum

capillary

A microscopic blood vessel through which materials are exchanged between the blood and the tissues

cardiovascular system

The part of the circulatory system that consists of the heart and the blood vessels

coronary circulation

The blood vessels in the heart that provide oxygen and nourishment and remove waste products from the myocardium

depolarization

A change in electrical charge from the resting state in nerves or muscles

diastole

The relaxation phase of the heartbeat cycle (adjective: diastolic)

electrocardiography (ECG)

Study of the electrical activity of the heart as detected by electrodes (leads) placed on the surface of the body; also abbreviated EKG from the German electrocardiography

endocardium

The thin membrane that lines the chambers of the heart and covers the valves

epicardium

The thin outermost layer of the heart wall

functional murmur

Any sound produced as the heart functions normally

heart

The muscular organ with four chambers that contracts rhythmically to propel blood through vessels to all parts of the body (root: cardi/o)

heart rate

The number of times the heart contracts per minute; recorded as beats per minute (bpm)

heart sounds

Sounds produced as the heart functions: the two loudest sounds are produced by alternate closing of the valves and are designated $S_1$ and $S_2$

inferior vena cava

The large inferior vein that brings blood low in oxygen back to the right atrium of the heart from the lower body

left AV valve

The valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle; the mitral valve or bicuspid valve

mitral valve

The valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle; the left AV valve or bicuspid valve

myocardium

The thick middle layer of the heart wall composed of cardiac muscle

pericardium

The fibrous sac that surrounds the heart

pulmonary artery

The vessel that carries blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs

pulmonary circuit

The system of vessels that carries blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs to be oxygenated and then back to the left side of the heart

pulmonary veins

The vessels that carry blood from the lungs to the left side of the heart

pulmonary valve

The valve at the entrance to the pulmonary artery

pulse

The wave of increased pressure produced in the vessels each time the ventricles contract

Purkinje fibers

The terminal fibers of the cardiac conducting system; they carry impulses through the walls of the ventricles

repolarization

A return of electrical charge to the resting state in nerves or muscles

right AV valve

The valve between the right atrium and right ventricle; the tricuspid valve

septum

A wall dividing two cavities, such as two chambers of the heart

sinus rhythm

Normal heart rhythm

sinoatrial (SA) node

A small mass in the upper part of the right atrium that initiates the impulse for each heartbeat; the pacemaker

sphygmomanometer

An instrument for determining arterial blood pressure (root sphygm/o means "pulse"); blood pressure apparatus or cuff

superior vena cava

The large superior vein that brings blood low in oxygen back to the right atrium from the upper body

systemic circuit

The system of vessels that carries oxygenated blood from the left side of the heart to all tissues except the lungs and returns deoxygenated blood to the right side of the heart

systole

The contraction phase of the heartbeat cycle (adjective: systolic)

valve

A structure that keeps fluid flowing in a forward direction (roots: valv/o, valvul/o)

vein

A vessel that carries blood back to the heart. All except the pulmonary and umbilical veins carry blood low in oxygen (roots: ven/o, phleb/o)

ventricle

A small cavity. One of the two lower pumping chambers of the heart (root: ventricul/o)

venule

A small vessel that carries blood from the capillaries to the veins

vessel

A tube or duct to transport fluid (roots: angi/o, vas/o, vascul/o)

aneurysm

A localized abnormal dilation of a blood vessel, usually an artery, caused by weakness of the vessel wall; may eventually burst

angina pectoris

A feeling of constriction around the heart or pain that may radiate to the left arm or shoulder, usually brought on by exertion; caused by insufficient blood supply to the heart

arrhythmia

Any abnormality in the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat (literally "without rhythm"; note doubled r); also called dysrhythmia

arteriosclerosis

Hardening (sclerosis) of the arteries, with loss of capacity and loss of elasticity, as from fatty deposits (plaque), deposit of calcium salts, or scar tissue formation

atherosclerosis

The development of fatty, fibrous patches (plaques) in the lining of arteries, causing narrowing of the lumen and hardening of the vessel wall; the most common form of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) (root ather/o means "porridge" or "gruel")

bradycardia

A slow heart rate of less than $60\,\text{bpm}$