HOSA Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Conditions

Angina

Condition in which chest pain occurs from ischemia

Angioplasty

Process of mechanically dilating a blood vessel

Arteriosclerosis

Hardening of the arteries

Blood gas analysis

Assessment of blood (usually arterial) to determine the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide

Cardiac muscle dysfunction

Various pathologic conditions associated with heart failure

Cardiac catheterization

Passage of a catheter (a flexible tube) into an artery in the arm or leg, along the artery to reach the heart and measure pressure, inject dye, or take a tissue sample

Cardiac pacemaker

Electronic device that produces a pulse to control heart depolarization

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Group of disorders that produce certain specific physical symptoms, including chronic productive cough, excessive mucus production, changes in the sound produced when air passes through the bronchial tubes, and shortness of breath (dyspnea)

Conducting airways

Passageways and tubes that allow air to pass into or out of the lungs

Congestive heart failure (CHF)

Condition in which the heart muscle is compromised to the point that it cannot move blood volume effectively

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)

Grafting (attaching) a small artery or a leg vein to a point beyond the blockage or plaque. This bypasses the blockage, reestablishing blood flow to the heart

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

Arteriosclerosis, or a hardening of the arteries, affecting the coronary vessels

Dyspnea

Shortness of breath

Echocardiography

Technique using high-frequency ultrasound to assess the size of the heart chambers, the thickness of the chamber walls, and the motion of the chamber walls and heart valves

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

Readout produced by placing electrodes on the anterior chest wall to record depolarization or contraction of the heart muscle assess the heart's rate and rhythm

Embolus

Clot formed by a substance detached from elsewhere

Exercise stress testing

Noninvasive method of determining how the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems respond to controlled increases in activity; most frequently used to diagnose or assess suspected or established cardiovascular disease

Expiration

Heart failure

Decrease in the pumping capability of the heart muscle

Inspiration

Contraction of the muscles of respiration, resulting in an increase in the space contained within the thoracic cavity. This expansion causes the air pressure to drop inside the lungs, resulting in movement of air into the lungs

Ischemia

Insufficient oxygenation of tissues owing to a blocked blood vessel

Myocardial infarction

Heart attack resulting from blockage by an embolus (clot) of one of the coronary arteries

Obstructive lung disease

Pathological abnormality in airflow through the bronchial tubes

Postural drainage

Use of gravity through appropriate positioning and chest wall percussion to promote removal of excessive secretions from the tracheo-bronchial tree

Pulmonary function test

Assessment of the effectiveness of the respiratory musculature and the integrity of the airways and lung tissues to help classify the lung disease pattern as obstructive or restrictive

Respiration

The process of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air a person breathes and the cells of the body

Restrictive lung disease

Pathological reduction in the volume of air in the lungs

Spirometer

Instrument measuring the various volumes and airflow rates, which are then compared to a normal scale

Target Heart Rate (THR)

Appropriate heart rate to be maintained during the peak period in aerobic training; calculated as a percentage of the individual's maximum heart rate

Training zone

Individual's ideal range of minimum and maximum heart rates that must be achieved for that individual to experience an aerobic training effect

Ventilation

Process of inspiration and expiration; results in an exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air found in the lungs ans the pulmonary circulation