Cardiovascular System Medical Terminology

Chapter 9: Cardiovascular System Medical Terminology

Cardiovascular System Word Parts

  • Prefixes:

    • a-: absence of, without
    • bi-: two
    • brady-: slow
    • endo-: within, in
    • epi-: on, upon, over
    • hyper-: above, excessive
    • hypo-: below, deficient
    • inter-: between
    • pan-: all, total
    • peri-: surrounding, around
    • tachy-: fast, rapid
    • tri-: three

  • Combining Forms:

    • atri/o: atrium
    • cardi/o: heart
    • ech/o: sound
    • electr/o: electricity
    • symptomat/o: symptom
    • valv/o: valve
    • valvul/o: valve
    • ventricul/o: ventricle

  • Suffixes:

    • -ac: pertaining to
    • -apheresis: removal
    • -ar: pertaining to
    • -centesis: surgical puncture to aspirate fluid
    • -ectomy: excision, surgical removal
    • -genic: producing, originating, causing
    • -gram: record, radiographic image
    • -graph: instrument used to record
    • -graphy: process of recording, radiographic imaging
    • -ia: condition of, diseased state, abnormal state
    • -ic: pertaining to
    • -itis: inflammation
    • -lysis: loosening, dissolution, separating
    • -megaly: enlarged, enlargement
    • -logist: specialist, physician who studies and treats
    • -oma: tumor
    • -osis: abnormal condition
    • -tomy: cut into, incision
    • -ous: pertaining to
    • -pathy: disease
    • -penia: abnormal reduction in number
    • -pexy: surgical fixation, suspension
    • -plasty: surgical repair
    • -poiesis: formation
    • -sclerosis: hardening
    • -scope: instrument used to view
    • -scopy: process of viewing
    • -stasis: stop, stopping, controlling
    • -stenosis: narrowing, constriction

Introduction to the Cardiovascular System

  • The cardiovascular system is made up of three components: Heart, vessels, and blood.
  • The Heart: A fist-sized vital organ with the primary function to pump blood.
    • If one assumes an average heart rate of 75 beats per minute, a human heart would beat approximately:
    • 108,000 times a day
    • 39 million times in one year
    • Nearly 3 billion times during a 75-year lifespan
    • At rest, each of the major pumping chambers of the heart ejects approximately 70 mL of blood per contraction in an adult.
    • This is equal to 5.25 liters of blood per minute and approximately 14,000 liters per day.
    • Over one year, this totals 10,000,000 liters of blood sent through roughly 100,000 km of blood vessels.

Anatomy of the Heart

  • Location:
    • The heart is located within the thoracic cavity between the lungs in the mediastinum region.
    • It is separated from other mediastinal structures by a tough membrane known as the pericardium (or pericardial sac) and sits in its own space called the pericardial cavity.
    • The great vessels, which carry blood to and from the heart, are attached to the superior surface of the heart, referred to as the base of the heart.
    • The base of the heart is located at the level of the third costal cartilage.
    • The inferior tip of the heart, called the apex, lies just to the left of the sternum between the junction of the fourth and fifth ribs.

Membranes and Layers of the Heart Walls

  • The heart and the great vessels are surrounded by a membrane called the pericardium or pericardial sac.
    • It consists of two distinct sublayers:
    • Parietal pericardium: outer layer, tough, made of dense connective tissue that protects the heart and holds it in position.
    • Visceral pericardium (or epicardium): fused to the heart and forms the outer layer of the heart wall.
    • Pericardial cavity: space between the parietal and visceral pericardium containing pericardial fluid.
  • The heart has three layers:
    • Epicardium: outer layer, synonymous with the visceral pericardium.
    • Myocardium: thick middle layer made of cardiac muscle tissue that provides the ability to contract.
    • Endocardium: lines the heart chambers and is the main component of the heart valves.

Internal Structures of the Heart

  • The heart consists of four chambers:
    • Upper chambers: Right and Left atria (26lt; atrium).
    • Separated by the interatrial septum.
    • Lower chambers: Right and Left ventricles.
    • Separated by the interventricular septum.
    • The atria and ventricles on each side are separated by the atrioventricular (AV) valve:
    • Right AV valve, known as the tricuspid valve, separates the right atrium and right ventricle.
    • Left AV valve, known as the bicuspid valve (or mitral valve), separates the left ventricle and left atrium.
    • There are two semilunar valves:
    • Pulmonary valve: separates the right ventricle from the pulmonary trunk.
    • Aortic valve: separates the left ventricle from the aorta.

Physiology of the Heart

  • The heart is essential for pumping blood to the lungs and the body, providing nutrients and oxygen.
  • Heart contractions need coordination for effective blood pumping.
  • Circulation of blood through the heart: Blood pumped to provide oxygen and nutrients to every cell in the body.
  • Coronary blood supply: The heart, as an organ, requires its own supply of blood to function properly.
  • Electrical conduction system: The heart generates and transmits electrical impulses independently to facilitate contraction and blood pumping.

Circulation Through the Heart: The Heart as a Pump

  • The heart pumps blood to two linked circulatory systems:
    • Pulmonary circuit: Transports blood to/from the lungs for oxygenation and gas exchange.
    • Systemic circuit: Delivers oxygen-rich blood to body tissues and returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart.
  • Pathway of deoxygenated blood: Blood carrying carbon dioxide is returned to the right atrium via:
    • Superior vena cava
    • Inferior vena cava
  • From the right atrium, blood moves through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle.
  • Pathway of oxygenated blood:
    • The right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood through the pulmonary valve into the pulmonary trunk, which splits into the right and left pulmonary arteries leading to the lungs.
    • In the lungs, gas exchange occurs at pulmonary capillaries.
  • Oxygenated blood returns to the left atrium via pulmonary veins.
  • From the left atrium, blood moves through the mitral valve into the left ventricle, which pumps blood through the aortic valve, into the aorta, delivering blood to the entire body.

Cardiac Cycle

  • The cardiac cycle involves the active, coordinated, and rhythmic process of pumping and circulating blood:
    • Diastole: The phase when the heart is relaxed, and the atria and ventricles fill with blood. AV valves are open, allowing blood to flow from the atria to the ventricles.
    • Systole: The phase when the heart contracts. AV valves close, and ventricles eject blood to the lungs/body through semilunar valves. After systole, the semilunar valves close in preparation for another filling phase.

The Heart as an Organ: The Coronary Blood Supply

  • Myocardial cells require their own blood supply for contraction/relaxation and to efficiently pump blood.
  • This blood supply is provided by the coronary arteries and coronary veins.

The Heart’s Electrical Conduction System

  • The heart has its own electrical system to ensure the entire myocardium works in unison.
    • This specialised group of heart cells initiates and conducts each heartbeat independently.
  • ECG/EKG: Electrical activity can be measured and recorded using an electrocardiogram, with impulses originating at the sinoatrial (SA) node, travelling through the conduction network, enabling a complete cardiac cycle.

Common Abbreviations for the Cardiovascular System

  • ACS: acute coronary syndrome
  • AFib: Atrial fibrillation
  • AV: Atrioventricular
  • BP: Blood pressure
  • CABG: Coronary artery bypass graft
  • CAD: coronary artery disease
  • CCU: Coronary care unit
  • CPR: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • DVT: Deep vein thrombosis
  • ECG/EKG: Electrocardiogram
  • ECHO: Echocardiogram
  • HF: Heart failure
  • HHD: hypertensive heart disease
  • HTN: hypertension
  • IV: Intravenous
  • MI: Myocardial infarction
  • PAD: Peripheral artery disease
  • PTCA: percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
  • SPECT: Single-photon emission computed tomography
  • TEE: transesophageal echocardiogram

Diseases and Disorders of the Heart

  • Cardiomyopathy: Enlargement of the heart muscle, often seen in trained athletes (hypertrophy).
    • Types of cardiomyopathy:
    • Dilated cardiomyopathy: Unknown cause; one ventricle is larger.
    • Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy: Inherited; causes irregular rhythms.
    • Restrictive cardiomyopathy: Complication from scarring or stiffening of myocardium.
  • Causes include myocardial infarctions, infections, pregnancy, substance abuse, autoimmune/endocrine diseases.
  • Heart Failure (HF): Inability to pump enough blood, leading to symptoms like swelling in extremities and shortness of breath.
  • Valvular Heart Disease: Involves heart valve issues leading to blood flow problems.
    • Symptoms can vary, often detected by heart murmurs.
    • Mitral Valve Prolapse: Incompletely closing mitral valve leads to regurgitation.
    • Aortic Stenosis: Narrowing of the aortic valve impeding sufficient blood travel.
  • Aneurysms: Weakening and bulging of blood vessel walls, can lead to internal bleeding if ruptured.
  • Heart Defects: (Congenital): Abnormalities present at birth, requiring medical imaging to diagnose.
    • Patent Ductus Arteriosus: ductus arteriosus fails to close post-birth, potentially leading to HF.
    • Tetralogy of Fallot: Typically involves multiple defects and can cause cyanosis in infants due to improper oxygenation.

Diseases Related to Coronary Circulation:

  • Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): plaque buildup obstructs blood flow leading to ischemia, angina, and potentially myocardial infarction.
    • Risk Factors: include lifestyle habits (smoking, lack of exercise), hypertension, stress, and genetics.
    • Treatments may involve medication, lifestyle changes, angioplasty, or coronary bypass surgery.

Myocardial Infarction (MI):

  • Often called heart attack, occurs when blood flow is blocked, causing death to cardiac muscle.
    • Triggers may involve stress or exertion.
    • Symptoms include chest pain (angina pectoris), dyspnea, nausea, etc.
    • Confirmed through ECG and various imaging/tests including blood tests.

Diseases of the Electrical Conduction System:

  • Arrhythmias: interruptions in normal impulse conduction.
  • Conditions like bradycardia and tachycardia signify abnormal heart rates.
  • Fibrillation indicates uncontrolled heartbeats that may require defibrillation to correct.
  • Pacemaker function: an artificial device may replace abnormal conduction or block.
  • Common treatment options for arrhythmias include medications, ablation, or implantation of a pacemaker.

Medical Specialties Related to the Cardiovascular System:

  • Cardiologists specialize in heart disease management.
  • Thoracic Surgeons provide surgical treatments for thoracic organ issues.
  • Cardiology Technologists perform diagnostic tests, including ECGs and stress tests.
  • Cardiovascular Perfusionists operate heart-lung machines during surgeries.

Cardiovascular System Vocabulary

  • Ablation: Removal/destruction of body part/tissue.
  • Aneurysm: Weakening of vessel causing it to balloon; may rupture.
  • Angina Pectoris: Chest pain that may signify CAD or heart attack.
  • Angiogram: Imaging study of blood vessels with possible dye injection.
  • Antihypertensives: Medications for treating high blood pressure.
  • Arrhythmia: A deviation from normal heart activity.
  • Atherosclerosis: Hardening of arteries due to plaque buildup.
  • Auscultation: Listen to heart sounds.
  • Bradycardia: Heart rate below 60 bpm.
  • Cardiac: Relating to the heart.
  • Cardiomyopathy: Heart muscle disease.
  • Creatine kinase MB: An important cardiac enzyme indicator.
  • Cyanosis: Blue discoloration due to low oxygen.
  • Diastole: Heart relaxation phase for filling chambers.
  • Echocardiogram: Ultrasound imaging of the heart.
  • Heart Murmur: Abnormal heart sound.
  • Systole: Phase of heart contraction.

Note: The information presented above is structured in a highly detailed manner with all relevant terms, definitions, and explanations that aspiring medical students or professionals can use for a comprehensive understanding of the cardiovascular system.