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Medical Terminology
Ch 9 The Cardiovascular System - Cardiology
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| angi/o | vessel |
| aort/o | aorta |
| arteri/o | artery |
| ather/0 | fatty plaque |
| atri/o | atrium (upper chamber) |
| cardi/o | heart |
| coron/o | heart (crown) |
| phleb/o | vein |
| sept/o | septum (plural, septa) |
| valvul/o | valve |
| vas/o, vascul/o | vessel |
| ven/o | vein |
| ventricul/o | ventricle (lower chamber) |
| aneurysm | bulge in a blood vessel |
| angina pectoris | oppressive pain in the chest caused by irregular blood flow to the heart |
| angiocarditis | inflammation of the heart vessels |
| angioedema | swelling of the blood vessels |
| angiogenesis | development of blood vessels |
| angiogram | record of the blood vessels |
| angiography | procedure to describe the blood vessels |
| angioplasty | surgical reconstruction of a vessel |
| angiosclerosis | hardening of a blood vessel |
| angioscope | device for looking into a blood vessel |
| antianginal | drug that prevents or relieves the symptoms of angina pectoris |
| antiarrhythmic | drug that opposes an irregular heartbeat |
| anticoagulant | drug that opposes the coagulation of blood |
| antihypertensive | drug that opposes high blood pressure |
| aortic aneurysm | bulging or swelling of the aorta |
| aortic regurgitation | flow of blood backward from the aorta into the heart; caused by a weak heart valve |
| aortic stenosis | narrowing of the aorta |
| aortitis | inflammation of the aorta |
| arrhythmia | irregular heartbeat |
| arteriopathy | disease of the arteries |
| arteriorraphy | suture of an artery |
| arteriosclerosis | hardening of an artery |
| arteritis | inflammation of the arteries |
| atherosclerosis | hardening of an artery due to buildup of fatty plaque |
| atrial fibrillation | quivering or spontaneous contraction of muscle fibers in the heart's atrium |
| atrial septal defect | flaw in the septum that divides the two atria of the heart |
| blood pressure | forced exerted by blood on the walls of blood vessels |
| bradycardia | slow heartbeat |
| cardiac arrest | cessation of functional circulation |
| cardiac catheterization | the process of inserting a tube (catheter) into the heart |
| cardiologist | heart specialist |
| cardiology | branch of medicine dealing with the heart |
| cardiomegaly | enlarged heart |
| cardiomyopathy | disease of the heart muscle |
| cardiopulmonary resuscitation | basic life support (CPR) |
| cardiothoracic surgery | surgery that involves cutting through the patient's chest to get to the heart |
| cardiovascular | pertaining to the heart and blood vessels |
| cardioversion | returning a heart to normal rhythm |
| carditis | inflammation of the heart |
| congenital heart defect | flaw in the structure of the heart, present at birth |
| congestive cardiomyopathy | heart cavity is unable to pump all blood out of it (congestive) and becomes stretched (dilated), which causes weak/slow pumping of blood |
| congestive heart failure | heart failure characterized by the heart cavity being unable to pump |
| coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) | borrowed piece of a blood vessel used to bypass a blocked artery in the heart |
| coronary artery bypass surgery | surgery to bypass a blocked artery in the heart |
| coronary circulation | circulation of blood from the heart to the heart muscle |
| coronary thrombosis | obstruction of a coronary artery by a clot |
| cyanosis | a bluish appearance to the skin; a sign that the tissue isn't receiving enough oxygen |
| deep vein thrombosis | the formation of a blood clot deep in the body, most commonly in the leg |
| diaphoresis | profuse sweating |
| diastolic pressure | pressure exerted on blood vessels when the heart is relaxed |
| dysrhythmia | irregular heartbeat |
| echocardiogram | image of the heart produced using sound waves; it is the same procedure as an ultrasound performed on pregnant women, but done on the heart |
| echocardiography | use of sound waves to produce an image of the heart |
| electrocardiogram (ECG) | record of the electrical currents of the heart |
| electrocardiography | procedure for recording the electrical currents of the heart |
| embolectomy | surgical removal of an embolus |
| embolism | blockage of a blood vessel caused by an embolus |
| embolus | mass of matter present in the blood |
| endocarditis | inflammation of the tissue lining the inside of the heart |
| epicardium | tissue lining the outside of the heart |
| hemorrhage | loss of blood |
| hypertension | high blood pressure |
| hypertrophic cardiomyopathy | heart muscle becomes enlarged and blocks blood flow |
| hypotension | low blood pressure |
| ischemia | blockage of blood flow to an organ |
| murmur | abnormal heart sound |
| myocardial infarction | death of heart muscle tissue |
| myocardial ischemia | blockage of blood to the heart muscle |
| myocarditis | inflammation of the heart muscle |
| myocardium | heart muscle tissue |
| occlusion | closing or blockage of a passage |
| palpitation | rapid or irregular beating of the heart |
| pectoralgia | chest pain |
| pericardial effusion | fluid pouring out into the tissue around the heart |
| pericardiocentesis | puncture of the tissue around the heart |
| pericarditis | inflammation of the tissue around the heart |
| pericardium | tissue around the heart |
| phlebitis | inflammation of the veins |
| phlebotomist | one who draws blood |
| phlebotomy | incision into a vein |
| pulmonary circulation | circulation of blood from the heart to the lungs |
| stress electrocardiogram | records electrical signals of the heart while the patient experiences increases of exercise stress |
| superior vena cava | portion of the vena cava that gathers blood from the upper portion of the body (head and arms) |
| systemic circulation | circulation of the blood from the heart to the rest of the body |
| systolic pressure | pressure exerted on blood vessels when the heart is contracting |
| tachycardia | rapid heartbeat |
| thrombolytic | drug that breaks down clots |
| thrombophlebitis | inflammation of a vein caused by a clot |
| thrombus | blood clot |
| transesophageal electrocardiogram | recording of the heart using sound waves performed by inserting the sonograph into the esophagus |
| valvectomy | surgical removal of a heart valve |
| vasoconstrictor | drug that constricts or narrows the diameter of a blood vessel |
| vasodialator | drug that causes the relaxation or expansion of a blood vessel |
| vasopressor | drug that constricts or narrows the diameter of a blood vessel |
| vasospasm | involuntary contraction of a blood vessel |
| vena cava | large-diameter vein that gathers blood from the body and returns it to the heart |
| vena cava inferior | portion of the vena cava that gathers blood from the lower portion of the body |
| venogram | record of a vein |
| venosclerosis | hardening of a vein |
| ventricular septal defect | flaw in the septum that divides the two ventricles of the heart |