HOSA Medical Terminology - The Cardiovascular System

angi/o

blood or lymph vessel

aort/o

aorta

arteri/o

artery

ather/o

plaque, fatty substance

brady-

slow

cardi/o

heart

-crasia

a mixture of blending

-emia

blood, blood condition

erythr/o

red

hem/o, hemat/o

blood, relating to the blood

leuk/o

white

phleb/o

vein

tachy-

fast, rapid

thromb/o

clot

ven/o

vein

ACE inhibitor

blocks the action of the enzyme that causes the blood vessels to contract resulting in hypertension

anemia (ah-NEE-mee-ah)

a disorder characterized by lower than normal levels of red blood cells in the blood

aneurysm (AN-you-rizm)

a localized weak spot or balloon-like enlargement of the wall of an artery

angina (an-JIH-nuh)

a condition of episodes of severe chest pain due to inadequate blood flow to the myocardium

angioplasty (AN-jee-oh-plas-tee)

the technique of mechanically widening a narrowed or obstructed blood vessel

anticoagulant (an-tih-koh-AG-you-lant)

a drug that prevents clotting of the blood

aplastic anemia (ay-PLAS-tick ah-NEE-mee-ah)

failure of blood cell production in the bone marrow

arrhythmia (ah-RITH-mee-ah)

irregular heartbeat

atherectomy (ath-er-ECK-toh-mee)

surgical removal of plaque buildup from the interior lining of an artery

atheroma (ath-er-OH-mah)

a deposit of fatty plaque on or within the arterial wall

atherosclerosis (ath-er-oh-skleh-ROH-sis)

condition in which fatty deposits called plaque build up on the inner walls of the arteries

atrial fibrillation (AY-tree-al fih-brih-LAY-shum)

rapid, random, ineffective contractions of the atrium

automated external defibrillator (dee-FIB-rih-lay-ter)

electronic equipment that externally shocks the heart to restore a normal cardiac rhythm

beta-blocker

a medication that reduces the workload of the heart by slowing the rate of the heartbeat.

blood dyscrasia (dis-KRAY-zee-ah)

any pathologic condition of the cellular elements of the blood

bradycardia (brad-ee-KAR-dee-ah)

an abnormally slow resting heart rate, usually of less than 10 breaths per minute

cardiac arrest

sudden, unexpected stoppage of heart action, often leading to sudden cardiac death

cardiac catheterization (KAR-dee-ack kath-eh-ter-eye-ZAY-shun)

a diagnostic procedure in which a catheter is passed into a vein or artery and then guided into the heart

cardiomyopathy (kar-dee-oh-my-OP-ah-thee)

disease of the heart muscle, the myocardium

carotid endarterectomy (kah-ROT-id end-ar-ter-ECK-toh-mee)

the surgical removal of the lining of a portion of a clogged carotid artery leading to the brain

cholesterol (koh-LES-ter-ol)

a fatty substance that travels through the blood and is found in all parts of the body

chronic venous insufficiency

a condition in which venous circulation is inadequate due to partial vein blockage or leakage of venous valves

coronary artery disease

atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries that reduces the blood supply to the heart muscle

coronary thrombosis (KOR-uh-nerr-ee throm-BOH-sis)

damage to the heart muscle caused by a thrombus blocking a coronary artery

defibrillation (dee-fih-brih-LAY-shun)

the use of electrical shock to restore the heart's normal rhythm

diuretic (dye-you-RET-ick)

medication administered to increase urine secretion to rid the body of excess salt and water

electrocardiogram (ee-leck-troh-KAR-dee-oh-gram)

a record of the electrical activity of the myocardium

embolism (EM-boh-lizm)

the sudden blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus

embolus (EM-boh-lus)

a clot that breaks lose and travels through the bloodstream.

endocarditis (en-doh-kar-DYE-tis)

inflammation of the inner lining of the heart

erythrocytes (eh-RITH-roh-sights)

red blood cells

hemoglobin (HEE-moh-gloh-bin)

the oxygen-carrying blood protein pigment of the erythrocytes

hemolytic anemia (hee-moh-LIT-ick ah-NEE-mee-ah)

characterized by an inadequate number of circulating red blood cells due to the premature destruction of red blood cells by the spleen

hemostasis (hee-moh-STAY-sis)

stop or control bleeding

leukemia (loo-KEE-mee-ah)

cancer of white blood cells

leukocytes (LOO-koh-sights)

white blood cells\

leukopenia (loo-koh-PEE-nee-ah)

a decrease in the number of disease-fighting white blood cells circulating in the blood

megaloblastic anemia (MEG-ah-loh-blas-tick an NEE-mee-ah)

a blood disorder characterized by anemia in which the red blood cells are larger than normal

myelodysplasitc syndromes (my-eh-loh-blas-tick ah-NEE-mee-ah)

disorders characterized by abnormal development of one or more of the cell lines that are normally found in the bone marrow.

myelodysplastic syndrome (my-eh-loh-dis-PLAS-tick SIN-drohm)

a type of cancer in which there is insufficient production of one or more types of blood cells due to dysfunction of the bone marrow

myocardial infraction (my-oh-KAR-dee-al in-FARK-shun)

aka heart attack; occurs when a blockage in the coronary arteries cuts off the supply of blood to the heart

orthostatic hypotension (or-throh-STAT-ick high-poh-TEN-shun)

low blood pressure that occurs upon standing up

pericardium (pehr-ih-KAR-dee-um)

aka the pericardial sac; the double-walled membranous sac that encloses the heart

pernicious anemia (per-NISH-us-ah-NEE-mee-ah)

lack of mature erythrocytes caused by inability to absorb vitamin B12 into the bloodstream

phlebitis (fleh-BYE-tis)

inflammation of a vein

Raynaud's disease (ray-NOHZ)

a peripheral arterial occlusive disease in which intermittent attacks are triggered by cold or stress

sepsis (SEP-sis)

a potentially life-threatening infection that results from bacteria or other infectious organisms entering the bloodstream.

sickle cell anemia

a genetic disorder that causes abnormal hemoglobin, resulting in some red blood cells assuming an abnormal sickle shape

tachycardia (tack-ee-KAR-dee-ah)

an abnormally rapid resting heart rate

temporal arteritis (TEM-poh-ral ar-teh-RYE-tis)

an inflammation of arteries (blood vessels) in the head, near the temples.

thallium stress test (THAL-ee-um)

a diagnostic test performed to evaluate how well blood flows through the coronary arteries of the heart muscle during exercise.

thrombocytopenia (throm-boh-sigh-toh-PEE-nee-ah)

a condition in which there is an abnormally small number of platelets circulating in the blood

thrombolytic (throm-boh-LIT-ick)

drug that breaks down blood clots

thrombosis (throm-BOH-sis)

formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system

thrombotic occulusion (throm-BOT_ick ah-KLOO-zhun)

the blocking of the coronary artery by a clot

thrombus (THROM-bus)

a blood clot attached to the interior wall of an artery or vein

transfusion reaction

a serious, and potentially fatal, complication of a blood transfusion in which a severe immune response occurs because the patient's blood and the donated blood do not match

valvulitis (val-view-LYE-tis)

an inflammation of a heart valve

varicose veins (VAHR-ih-kohs VAYNS)

abnormally swollen, twisted veins with defective valves; most often seen in the legs

ventricular fibrillation (ven-TRICK_you-lar-fih-brih-LAY-shun)

irregular contractions of the ventricles; may be fatal unless reversed

ventricular tachycardia (ven-TRICK-you-lar tack-ee-KAR_dee-ah)

a rapid heart rhythm in which the electrical impulse begins in the ventricle (instead of the atrium), which may result in inadequate blood flow and eventually deteriorate into cardiac arrest.