13 - Circulation and Cardiac Emergencies (VOCAB) Flashcards
Term that describes a range of clinical conditions, including unstable angina, that are due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle resulting from coronary heart disease (CHD).
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
An episode of chest pain due to reduced blood flow to the heart muscle.
Acute myocardial ischemia
Pain in the chest that comes and goes at different times; caused by a lack of oxygen reaching the heart; can be stable (occurring under exertion or stress) or unstable (occurring at rest, without reason).
Angina pectoris
Disturbance in the regular rhythmic beating of the heart.
Arrhythmia
A condition where the heart has stopped generating electrical activity.
Asystole
A condition in which deposits of plaque, including cholesterol guid up on the inner walls of arteries, causing them to harden and narrow, reducing the amount of blood that can flow through; develops gradually and can go undetected for many years.
Atherosclerosis
Irregular and fast electrical discharges of the heart that lead to an irregular heartbeat; the most common type of abnormal cardiac rhythm.
Atrial fibrillation
A cluster of cells in the center of the heart, between the atria and ventricles; serves as a relay to slow down the signal received from the sinoatrial (SA) node before it passes through to the ventricles.
Atrioventricular (AV) node
A portable electronic device that analyzes the heart’s electrical rhythm and, if necessary, can deliver an electrical shock to a person in cardiac arrest.
Automated external defibrillator (AED)
A condition in which the heart has stopped or beats too irregularly or weakly to pump blood effectively.
Cardiac arrest
A set of four critical steps in responding to a cardiac emergency: early recognition and access to the EMS system, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), really defibrillation and early advanced medical care.
Cardiac chain of survival
A technique that combines chest compressions and ventilations to circulate blood containing oxygen to the brain and other vital organs for a person whose heart and breathing have stopped.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
A disease affecting the heart and blood vessels
Cardiovascular disease
A technique used in CPR, in which external pressure is placed on the chest to increase the level of pressure in the chest cavity and cause the blood to circulate through the arteries.
Chest compressions
A fatty substance made by the liver and found in food containing animal or animal products; diets high in cholesterol contribute to the risk of heart disease.
Cholersterol
Sudden cardiac arrest from a blunt, non-penetrating blow to the chest, of which the basis is ventricular fibrillation (V-fib) triggered by the chest wall impact immediately over the heart.
Commotio cordis
A chronic condition in which the heart no longer pumps blood effectively throughout the body.
Congestive heart failure
A disease in which cholesterol and plaque build up on the inner walls of the arteries and supply blood to the heart; also called coronary artery disease (CAD)
Coronary heart disease (CHD)
An electrical shock that disrupts the electrical activity of the heart long enough to allow the heart to spontaneously develop an effective rhythm on its own.
Defibrillation
A test that measures and records the electrical activity of the heart.
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
A fist-sized muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body.
Heart
Another term for high blood pressure
Hypertension
A miniature version of an AED, implanted under the skin, that acts to automatically recognize and help correct abnormal heart rhythms.
Implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD)
The death of cardiac muscle tissue due to a sudden deprivation of circulating blood; also called a heart attack
Mycocardial infraction (MI)
The normal, regular rhythm of the heart, set by the SA node in the right atrium of the heart.
Normal sinus rhythm (NSR)
A device implanted under the skin, sometimes below the right collarbone, to help regulate heartbeat in someone with a weak heart, a heart that skips beat or one that beats too fast or too slow.
Pacemaker
Conditions or behaviors that increase the chance that a person will develop a disease.
Risk factors
A heart attack during which the patient has either no symptoms or very mild symptoms that the person does not associate with heart attacks; mild symptoms include indigestion or sweating.
Silent heart attack
A cluster of cells in the right atrium that generates the electrical impulses that set the pace of the heart’s natural rhythm.
Sinoatrial (SA) node
A condition where the heart’s pumping action stops abruptly, usually due to abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias, most commonly V-fib; unless an effective heart rhythm is restored, death follows within a matter of minutes.
Sudden cardiac arrest
A patch on the skin that delivers medication; commonly contains nitroglycerin, nicotine or other medications; should be removed prior to defibrillation.
Transdermal medication patch
A life-threatening heart rhythm in which the heart is in a state of totally disorganized electrical activity.
Ventricular fibrillation (V-fib)
A life-threatening heart rhythm in which there is very rapid contraction of the ventricles.
Ventricular tachycardia (V-tach)