Term | Definition |
aorta | largest artey in the body |
apex od the heart | lower tip of the heart |
arteriole | small artery |
artery | largest type of the blood vessel; carries blood away from the heart to all parts of the body |
atrioventricular bundle (bundkle of His) | specialized muscle fibers connecting the atria with the ventricle and transmitting electrical impluses between them |
atrioventricular node (AV node) | specialized tissue in the wall between the atria. Electrical impluses pass from the pacemaker (SA node) through the AV node and the atrioventricular bundle toward the ventricles. |
atrium | one of two upper chambers of the heart |
capillary | smallest blood vesssel; material pss from the bloodstream through a thin capillary walls |
carbon dioxide | gas (waste) released by body cells, transported via veins to the heart and then to the lungs for exhalation |
coronary arteries | blood vessels that branch from the aorta and carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle |
deoxygenated blood | blood that is oxygen poor |
diastole | relaxtion phase of the hearbeat |
electrocardiogram | record of the electricity flowing through the heart |
endocardium | inner lining of the heart |
endothelium | innermost lining of the blood vessels |
mitral valve | valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle; bicuspid valve |
murmur | abnormal swishing sound caused by improper closure of the heart valves |
myocardium | muscular, middle layer of the heart |
normal sinus rhythm | heart rhythm originating in the sinoatrial node with a rate in patients at rest of 60 to 100 beats per minute |
oxygen | gas that enters the blood through the lungs and travels to the heart to be pumped via arteries to all body cells |
pacemaker | specialized nerovustisse in the right atrium that begins the heartbeat |
pericardium | double-layered membrane surrounding the heart |
pulmonary artery | artery carrying oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs |
pulmonary circulation | flow of blood from the heart to the lungs back to the heart |
pulmonary valve | valve positioned between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery |
pulmonary vein | one of two pairs of vessels carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart |
pulse | beat of the heart as felt through the walls of the arteries |
septum | partition or wall dividing a cavity; such as between the right and left atria and right and left ventricles |
sinoatrial node (SA node) | pacemaker of the heart |
sphygmomanometer | instrument to measure blood pressure |
systemic circulation | flow of blood from body tisse to the heart and then from the heart back to the tissues |
systole | contraction phase of the heartbeat |
tricuspid valve | located between the right atrium and the right ventricle; it has three leaflets, or cusps |
valve | structure in veins or in the heart that temporarily closes an opening so that blood flows in only one direction |
vein | thin-walled vessel that carries blood from the body tissues and lungs, back to the heart |
vena cava | largest vein in the body |
ventricle | one of two lower chambers of the heart |
venule | small vein |
angi/o | vessel |
aort/o | aorta |
arter/o | artery |
arteri/o | artery |
ather/o | yellowish plaque, fatty substance |
atri/o | atrium, upper heart chamber |
brachi/o | arm |
cardi/o | heart |
cholesterol/o | cholesterol |
coron/o | heart |
cyan/o | blue |
myx/o | mucus |
ox/o | oxygen |
pericardi/o | pericardium |
phleb/o | vein |
rrythm/o | rhythm |
sphygm/o | pulse |
steth/o | chest |
thromb/o | clot |
valvul/o | valve |
valvu/o | valve |
vas/o | vessel |
ascul/o | vessel |
ven/o | vein |
ven/i | vein |
ventricul/o | ventricle, lower heart chamber |
arrhythmias | abnormal heart rhythms (dysrhythmias) |
flutter | rapid but regular contractions, usually of the atria |
fibrillation | very rapid, inefficent and irregular contractions of the heart |
congenital heart disease | abnormallities in the heart at birth |
septal defects | small holes in the wall between the atria (atrial septal defects) or the ventricles (ventricular septal defects) |
tetraology of Fallot | congenital malformation involing four (tetra-) distinct heart defects |
congestive heart failure | heart is unable to pump its required amount of blood |
endocarditis | inflammation of the inner lining of the heart |
hypertensive heart disease | high blood pressure affecting the heart |
murmur | extra heart sound, heard between normal beats |
pericarditis | inflammation of the membrane (pericardium) surrounding the heart |
rheumatic heart disease | heart disease caused by rheumatic fever |
aneurysm | local widening (dilation) of an arterial wall |
Raynaud disease | recurretns episodes of pallor and cyanosis primarily in fingers and toes |
vericose veins | abnormally swollen and twisted veins, usually occurring in the legs |
AAA | abdominal aortic aneurysm |
ACE inhibitor | angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor |
ACLs | advanced cardiac life support |
AED | automatic external defibrillator |
AF, a-fib | atrial fibrillation |
AICD | automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator |
AMI | acute myocardial infarction |
AS | aortic stenosis |
AV, A-V | artrioventricular |
BBB | bundle branch block |
BNP | brain natriuretuc peptide |
BP | blood pressure |
CABG | coronary artery bypass grafting |
CAD | coronary artery disease |
Cath | catheterrization |
CHF | congestive heart failure |
CPR | cardiopulmonary resuscitation |
DES | drug-eluting stent |
DVT | deep vein thrombosis |
ECG; EKG | electrocardiography |
ECHO | echocardiography |
EF | ejection fraction |
HTN | hypertention (high blood pressure) |
IABP | intra-aortic balloon pump |
ICD | implantable cardioverter-defibrillator |
LAD | left anterior descending |
LVAD | left ventricular assist device |
MI | myocardial infarction |
NSR | normal sinus rhythm |
NSTEMI | non-ST elevation myocardial infarction |
PAC | premature atrial contraction |
PAD | peripheral arterial disease |
PCI | percutaneous coronary intervention |
PE | pulmonary embolus |
PVC | premature ventricular contraction |
SA node | sinoatrial node |
SOB | shortness of breath |
STEMI | ST elevation myocardial infarction |
SVT | supraventricular tachycardia; rapid heartbeats |
TEE | transesophageal echocardiography |
tPA | tissue-type plafminogen activator |
UA | unstable angina |
VF | ventricular fibrillation |