front 1 Ablation | back 1 The removal or destruction of a body part or tissue or its function. Ablation may be performed by surgery, hormones, drugs, radiofrequency, heat, or other methods. |
front 2 Aneurysm | back 2 Weakening of the wall of a blood vessel, causing it to thin and balloon out, and possibly eventually burst, resulting in internal bleeding. |
front 3 Angina pectoris | back 3 Chest pain. It may be a symptom of coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction. |
front 4 Angiogram | back 4 An x-ray or computer image (CT scan or MRI) of the blood vessels and blood flow in the body. A dye may be injected through a catheter (small tube) into an artery or vein to make the blood vessels easier to see. |
front 5 Antihypertensives | back 5 A class of medications used to treat high blood pressure. |
front 6 Arrhythmia | back 6 A deviation from the normal pattern of impulse conduction and contraction of the heart. |
front 7 Asymptomatic | back 7 Having no signs or symptoms of disease. |
front 8 Atherosclerosis | back 8 A hardening of the arteries that involves the accumulation of plaque. |
front 9 Auscultation | back 9 Listening to the heart using a stethoscope. |
front 10 Atrioventricular (AV) | back 10 The area of the heart where the atria and ventricles meet. |
front 11 Atrioventricular (AV) valves | back 11 Mitral (bicuspid) valve that allows blood to flow from left atrium to left ventricle and tricuspid valve that allows blood to flow from right atrium to right ventricle. |
front 12 Bradycardia | back 12 A condition in which the heart beats slower than 50 beats per minute. |
front 13 Cardiac | back 13 Having to do with the heart. |
front 14 Cardiac troponin | back 14 The regulatory protein for muscle contraction. |
front 15 Cardiogenic | back 15 Originating from the heart. |
front 16 Cardiologist | back 16 A physician who studies and treats diseases of the heart. |
front 17 Cardiology | back 17 The study of the heart. |
front 18 Cardiomegaly | back 18 Enlarged heart. |
front 19 Cardiomyopathy | back 19 Disease of the heart muscle. |
front 20 Compliance | back 20 The ability of the blood vessels to dilate and constrict as needed. |
front 21 Computerized tomography (CT) | back 21 A noninvasive imaging technique that uses computers to analyze several cross-sectional X-rays in order to reveal minute details about structures in the body. |
front 22 Congenital | back 22 Present at birth. |
front 23 Creatine kinase MB | back 23 An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of creatine to phosphocreatine, consuming ATP. |
front 24 Cyanosis | back 24 A condition in which the oxygen supply is restricted, causing the skin to look blue. |
front 25 Diabetes mellitus | back 25 A disease in which the body does not control the amount of glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood and the kidneys make a large amount of urine. This disease occurs when the body does not make enough insulin or does not use it the way it should. |
front 26 Diaphoresis | back 26 Sweating. |
front 27 Diastole | back 27 Period of time when the heart muscle is relaxed and the chambers fill with blood. |
front 28 Ductus arteriosus | back 28 A temporary connection between pulmonary trunk and aorta in the fetal heart. |
front 29 Dyspnea | back 29 Difficulty breathing. |
front 30 Echocardiogram | back 30 A computer picture of the heart created by bouncing high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) off internal tissues or organs of the chest. |
front 31 Echocardiography | back 31 A procedure that uses high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) to look at tissues and organs inside the chest. |
front 32 Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) | back 32 The record of the heart’s function produced by the electrocardiograph. |
front 33 Electrocardiograph | back 33 The instrument that generates an electrocardiogram (ECG); 10 electrodes are placed in standard locations on the patient’s skin to record heart function. |
front 34 Electrocardiography | back 34 The science of recording the electrical activity of the heart. |
front 35 Endocarditis | back 35 A condition in which the tissues lining the inside of the heart and the heart valves become inflamed. |
front 36 Foramen ovale | back 36 An opening between right and left atria, which is normal in the fetal heart. |
front 37 Great vessels | back 37 Include the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, aorta and pulmonary trunk. |
front 38 Heart murmur | back 38 An abnormal heart sound. |
front 39 Heart rate | back 39 The number of times the heart beats within a certain time period, usually a minute. |
front 40 High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | back 40 Often referred to as “good” cholesterol. |
front 41 Hypercholesterolemia | back 41 Higher than normal levels of cholesterol in the blood. |
front 42 Hyperlipidemia | back 42 Excessive fat in the blood |
front 43 Hypertension | back 43 Abnormally high blood pressure. |
front 44 Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) | back 44 A small device placed by surgery in the chest or abdomen that is used to correct a heartbeat that is abnormal. Wires are passed through a vein to connect the device to the heart. When it detects abnormal heartbeats, it sends an electrical shock to the heart to restore the heartbeat to normal. |
front 45 Inferior vena cava | back 45 One of the two largest veins in the body. It carries deoxygenated blood from the torso and legs back to the heart. |
front 46 Interatrial septum | back 46 The wall separating the right and left atria. |
front 47 Interventricular septum | back 47 The wall of myocardium that separates the right and left ventricles. |
front 48 Ischemia | back 48 Lack of blood flow to body tissues. |
front 49 Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | back 49 Often referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol. |
front 50 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) | back 50 A procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. |
front 51 Mitral valve | back 51 Located at the opening between the left atrium and left ventricle; also known as the bicuspid valve. |
front 52 Myocardial infarction (MI) | back 52 Heart attack, caused by lack of blood flow and oxygen to the heart. |
front 53 Myocarditis | back 53 A rare condition in which the heart muscle becomes thick and inflamed and may also become weak. |
front 54 Occlusion | back 54 A blockage. |
front 55 Pacemaker | back 55 An electronic device that is implanted in the body to monitor heart rate and rhythm. It gives the heart electrical stimulation when it does not beat normally. |
front 56 Palpitations | back 56 A rapid or irregular heartbeat that a person can feel. |
front 57 Pericardial fluid | back 57 Watery fluid produced in the serous and visceral pericardium surrounding the surface of the heart. |
front 58 Pericarditis | back 58 Inflammation of the (sac) surrounding the heart. |
front 59 Pericardiocentesis | back 59 Surgical puncture to aspirate fluid from the (sac) surrounding the heart. |
front 60 Plaque | back 60 A fatty material including cholesterol, connective tissue, white blood cells, and some smooth muscle cells. |
front 61 Polycythemia | back 61 A rare disorder in which the bone marrow produces an abnormally large amount of blood cells. |
front 62 Pulmonary trunk | back 62 The very large artery referred to as a trunk, a term indicating that the vessel gives rise to several smaller arteries. |
front 63 Roots of the great vessels | back 63 The part of each great vessel (aorta, pulmonary trunk, inferior vena cava, superior vena cava) that connects to the base of the heart. |
front 64 Serous membrane | back 64 One of the thin membranes that cover the walls and organs in the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities. |
front 65 Sinus rhythm | back 65 The normal electrical pattern followed by contraction of the heart. |
front 66 Sphygmomanometer | back 66 A blood pressure cuff attached to a measuring device. |
front 67 Stethoscope | back 67 An instrument used to hear sounds produced by the heart, lungs, or other parts of the body. |
front 68 Superior vena cava | back 68 One of two large veins in the body, which carries deoxygenated blood from the head and upper extremities back to the heart. |
front 69 Syncope | back 69 Fainting. |
front 70 Systole | back 70 Period of time when the heart muscle is contracting |
front 71 Tachycardia | back 71 A condition in which the resting rate is above 100 bpm. |
front 72 Valvuloplasty | back 72 The widening of a stenosed heart valve using a balloon catheter. |