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Lesson 3-Vocab
The Cardiovascular System
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ACE inhibitor | (angiotensin-converting enzyme) blocks the action of the enzyme that causes the blood vessels to contract, resulting in hypertension. |
| anemia | a disorder characterized by a lower-than-normal number of erythrocytes (red blood cells) in the blood. |
| aneurysm | a localized weak spot or balloon-like enlargement of the wall of an artery. |
| angina | also known as angina pectoris, is a condition in which severe episodes of chest pain occur due to an inadequate blood flow to the myocardium. |
| angioplasty | the technique of mechanically widening a narrowed or obstructed blood vessel. |
| anticoagulant | slows clotting and prevents new clots from forming. |
| aorta | the largest blood vessel in the body. |
| aortic stenosis | also known as aortic valve stenosis, is a buildup of calcium and fat deposits in the aortic valve, a condition most prevalent in adults over age 65. |
| arrhythmia | the loss of the normal rhythm of the heartbeat. |
| atherectomy | the surgical removal of plaque buildup from the interior of an artery. |
| atherosclerosis | hardening and narrowing of the arteries caused by a buildup of cholesterol plaque on the interior walls of the arteries |
| atrial fibrillation | also known as A-fib, is the most common type of tachycardia. |
| automated external defibrillator | (AED) is designed for use by nonprofessionals in emergency situations when defibrillation is required. |
| beta-blocker | reduces the workload of the heart by blocking the release of stress hormones, thus slowing the rate of the heartbeat. |
| bradycardia | an abnormally slow resting heart rate. |
| capillaries | only one epithelial cell in thickness, are the smallest blood vessels in the body. |
| cardiac arrest | an event in which the heart abruptly stops beating or develops an arrhythmia that prevents it from pumping blood effectively. |
| cardiac catheterization | a diagnostic and treatment procedure in which a catheter is passed into a vein or artery and then guided into the heart. |
| cardiomyopathy | the term used to describe all diseases of the heart muscle. |
| carotid endarterectomy | the surgical removal of the lining of a portion of a clogged carotid artery leading to the brain. |
| cholesterol | a fatty substance that travels through the blood and is found in all parts of the body. |
| chronic venous insufficiency | (CVI), also known as venous insufficiency, is a condition in which venous circulation is inadequate due to partial vein blockage or to the leakage of venous valves. |
| coronary artery disease | (CAD), also known as coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischemic heart disease, is atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries that reduces the blood supply to the heart muscle. |
| coronary thrombosis | damage to the heart muscle caused by a thrombus blocking a coronary artery. |
| defibrillation | the emergency use of electrical shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. |
| diastole | the period of relaxation that follows as the chambers refill with blood. This is also referred to as the diastolic phase. |
| diuretic | an antihypertensive medication administered to increase urine output to rid the body of excess sodium and water. |
| electrocardiogram | (EKG or ECG) is a record of the electrical activity of the myocardium. |
| electrophysiologist | a doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of heart arrhythmias. |
| embolism | the sudden blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus |
| embolus | a foreign object, such as a blood clot, a quantity of air or gas, or a bit of tissue or tumor, that is circulating in the blood. |
| endocarditis | an inflammation of the inner lining of the heart. |
| erythrocytes | also known as red blood cells (RBCs), are mature red blood cells. |
| heart murmur | an abnormal blowing or clicking sound heard when listening to the heart or a neighboring large blood vessel. |
| hemoglobin | oxygen-carrying blood protein pigment of the erythrocytes. |
| hypertension | (HTN), commonly known as high blood pressure, is the elevation of arterial blood pressure to a level that is likely to cause damage to the cardiovascular system. |
| hypoperfusion | a deficiency of blood passing through an organ or body part. |
| ischemia | a condition in which there is an insufficient supply of oxygen in the tissues due to restricted blood flow to a part of the body. |
| long QT syndrome | (LQTS) is an inherited or medically acquired heart rhythm disorder that can cause fast, chaotic, and potentially dangerous arrhythmias |
| mitral valve prolapse | (MVP) is the abnormal protrusion of a mitral valve that results in the inability of the valve to close completely. |
| myocardial infarction | (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, is the occlusion (blockage) of one or more coronary arteries cause by plaque buildup. |
| orthostatic hypotension | also known as postural hypotension, is low blood pressure that occurs upon standing up and remains lower than normal as long as the patient remains standing. |
| pericardium | also known as the pericardial sac, is the double-walled membranous sac that encloses the heart. |
| peripheral artery disease | (PAD), also known as peripheral arterial occlusive disease, is an example of a peripheral vascular disease that is caused by atherosclerosis. |
| phlebitis | the inflammation of a vein. |
| Raynaud’s disease | a peripheral arterial occlusive disease in which intermittent attacks are triggered by cold temperatures or stress. |
| sinoatrial node | (SA) node is located in the posterior wall of the right atrium near the entrance of the superior vena cava. |
| systole | the period of contraction that the ventricles undergo while pumping blood into the aorta and the pulmonary artery. This is also referred to as the systolic phase. |
| tachycardia | an abnormally rapid resting heart rate. |
| telemetry nurse | specializes in the use of technology within a hospital unit to track vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rhythms, and oxygen levels. |
| temporal arteritis | sometimes called giant cell arteritis, is caused by inflammation of the temporal arteries supplying blood to the head and brain. |
| thallium stress test | (TST) is a nuclear imaging test performed by injecting a small amount of thallium into the bloodstream to evaluate how well blood flows through the coronary arteries of the heart muscle during exercise. |
| thrombolytic | also known as a clot-busting drug, dissolves or causes a thrombus to break up. |
| thrombosis | the abnormal condition of having a thrombus. |
| thrombotic occlusion | the blocking of an artery by a thrombus. |
| thrombus | a blood clot attached to the interior wall of an artery or vein. The plural form is thrombi. |
| varicose veins | abnormally swollen veins that usually occur in the superficial veins of the legs. |
| venous thromboembolism | (VTE) is a blood clot that originates in a vein. |
| ventricular fibrillation | also known as V-fib, consists of rapid, irregular, and useless contractions of the ventricles. |
| ventricular tachycardia | also known as V-tach, is a very rapid heartbeat that begins within the ventricles. |
| allogeneic transfusion | uses donated blood that must be of a compatible blood type. Allogeneic means coming from a different individual, i.e., one who is genetically not the same as the recipient. |
| anticoagulant | slows coagulation and prevents new clots from forming. |
| antigen | any substance that the body regards as being foreign, thus sometimes triggering an adverse reaction. |
| aplastic anemia | a rare but serious condition characterized by an absence of all formed blood elements caused by the failure of blood cell production in the bone marrow. |
| autologous transfusion | uses the patient’s own blood instead of blood from a donor. |
| basophils | which are also formed in red bone marrow, are the least common type of WBCs. |
| coagulation | the process of blood clotting, or the formation of a blood clot. |
| coagulopathy | also known as a bleeding disorder, occurs when the blood’s ability to coagulate is impaired. |
| comprehensive metabolic panel | (CMP), also known as a Chem 14, is a broad screening tool used to provide information about the state of the body’s metabolism by measuring fourteen different substances in the blood. |
| decompression sickness | (DCS), also called the bends, is a potentially fatal condition that can occur as a result of deep-sea diving or unpressurized air travel. |
| direct antiglobulin test | (DAT), also known as a direct Coombs test, is used to investigate possible hemolytic transfusion reaction or whether a fetus or newborn has a hemolytic disease. |
| eosinophils | formed in red bone marrow and then migrate to tissues throughout the body. |
| erythrocyte | also known as red blood cells (RBCs), are mature red blood cells produced by the red bone marrow. |
| erythropoietin | (EPO) is a hormone produced in the kidneys that promotes the production of erythrocytes in the bone marrow. |
| fibrin | aids in blood clotting and the formation of a scab to help the wound heal. |
| fibrinogen | and prothrombin are the clotting proteins found in plasma. |
| globulins | a group of proteins in the blood that play an important role in the immune system. |
| granulocytes | Neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils are called granulocytes because they have small granules containing proteins. |
| hematologist | a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating abnormalities, diseases, and disorders of the blood and blood-forming tissues. |
| hematopoiesis | the formation of blood cells. |
| hematocrit | (HCT) is the percentage of the blood that is made up of red blood cells. |
| hemoglobin | a blood protein pigment of the erythrocytes. |
| hemolysis | the process of breaking down erythrocytes. |
| hemolytic anemia | is characterized by an inadequate number of circulating red blood cells due to the premature destruction of red blood cells by the spleen. |
| hemophilia | a hereditary bleeding disorder in which a blood clotting factor is missing, resulting in abnormal coagulation. |
| hemostasis | means to stop or control bleeding. |
| heparin | another common anticoagulant. |
| hereditary spherocytosis | a genetic disorder that causes the red blood cells to be spherical rather than flat. |
| immunoglobulins | help the body attack and kill germs. |
| leukemia | a type of cancer characterized by a progressive increase in the number of abnormal leukocytes found in blood-forming tissues, other organs, and the circulating blood. |
| leukocytes | also known as white blood cells (WBCs), are the blood cells involved in supporting the immune system in defending the body against infective organisms and foreign substances. |
| leukopenia | a decrease in the number of disease-fighting leukocytes circulating in the blood. |
| lipoprotein panel blood test | or lipid panel, requires that a patient fast for 8-12 hours before the blood is drawn |
| lymphocytes | identify foreign substances and germs (bacteria or viruses) in the body and produce antibodies that specifically target them. |
| megakaryocytes | the large cells in the bone marrow that produce platelets. |
| monocytes | formed in the red bone marrow, liver, and spleen. They are the largest type of white blood cells. |
| multiple myeloma | (MM), sometimes referred to as just myeloma, is the second most common type of blood cancer. |
| neutropenia | the presence of abnormally few of the white blood cells called neutrophils in the blood, usually as a result of cancer treatment. |
| neutrophils | formed in the red bone marrow, are the most common type of WBCs. |
| non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma | (NHL), which is the more common type, refers to all lymphomas other than Hodgkin’s lymphoma. |
| pancytopenia | a condition that is characterized by lower-than-normal quantities of erythrocytes leukocytes, and platelets. |
| pernicious anemia | caused by a lack of the protein intrinsic factor (IF) that helps the body absorb vitamin B12 from the gastrointestinal tract |
| phagocytes | cells that play a major role in the immune system’s defense against pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi by engulfing the pathogens and consuming them. |
| phlebotomist | a medical professional trained to draw blood from patients for laboratory tests and other procedures. |
| plasma | a straw-colored fluid that contains nutrients, hormones, and waste products. |
| plasmapheresis | the removal of blood plasma by drawing blood and then separating the blood into its cellular elements. |
| platelets | also called thrombocytes, are the smallest formed elements of the blood. |
| prothrombin time | (PT), also known as pro time, is a blood coagulation test used to diagnose conditions associated with abnormalities of clotting time and to monitor anticoagulant therapy. |
| reticulocytes | red blood cells that have just been released from the bone marrow. |
| Rh factor | defines the presence of absence of the Rh antigen on red blood cells. |
| sepsis | a potentially life-threatening infection that results from bacteria or other infectious organisms entering the bloodstream. |
| serum | the clear, pale-yellow plasma fluid that remains after the blood cells and clotting proteins have been removed. |
| sickle cell anemia | (SCA) is the most common form of a group of blood disorders known as sickle cell disease |
| thalassemia | an inherited blood disorder that causes mild or severe anemia due to reduced hemoglobin. |
| therapeutic plasma exchange | (TPE) is a type of plasmapheresis in which some of the patient’s own blood is circulated through a device that removes the disease-causing antibodies in the plasma and replaces them with healthy donor plasma and/or a plasma substitute. |
| thrombocytes | Platelets, also called thrombocytes, are the smallest formed elements of the blood. |
| thrombocytopenia | a condition in which there is an abnormally small number of platelets circulating in the blood. |
| 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. |
| Von Willebrand disease | (VWD), the most common genetic bleeding disorder, impacts women more than men. |
Created by:
jls017
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