Cardiology Flashcards
Function of the Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system consists of the pump and vessels that distribute blood to all areas of the body. This system allows for the delivery of needed substances to the cells of the body as well as for the removal of wastes.
Organs of the cardiovascular system
blood vessels (arteries, capillaries, veins), heart
angi/o
vessel
aort/o
aorta
arteri/o
artery
ather/o
fatty substance
atri/o
atrium
cardi/o
heart
coron/o
heart
corpor/o
body
embol/o
plug
isch/o
to hold back
myocardi/o
heart muscle
pect/o
chest
phleb/o
vein
sphygm/o
pulse
steth/o
chest
thromb/o
clot
valv/o
valve
valvul/o
valve
varic/o
dilated vein
vascul/o
blood vessel
vas/o
vessel, duct
ven/o
vein
ventricul/o
ventricle
-manometer
instrument to measure pressure
-ole
small
-tension
pressure
-tonic
pertaining to tone
-ule
small
cutane/o
skin
duct/o
to bring
electr/o
electricity
hem/o
blood
lip/o
fat
my/o
muscle
orth/o
straight
pulmon/o
lung
sept/o
a wall
son/o
sound
-ac
pertaining to
-al
pertaining to
-ar
pertaining to
-ary
pertaining to
-eal
pertaining to
-ectomy
surgical removal
-gram
record
-graphy
process of recording
-ia
condition
-ic
pertaining to
-itis
inflammation
-logy
study of
-lytic
destruction
-megaly
enlarged
-oma
growth
-ose
pertaining to
-ous
pertaining to
-pathy
disease
-plasty
surgical procedure
-rrhexis
rupture
-sclerosis
hardening
-scope
instrument for viewing
-spasm
involuntary muscle contraction
-stenosis
narrowing
-tic
pertaining to
a-
without
anti-
against
brady-
slow
de-
without
endo-
inner
extra-
outside
hyper-
excessive
hypo-
insufficient
inter-
between
intra-
within
per-
through
peri-
around
poly-
many
tachy-
fast
tetra-
four
trans-
across
ultra-
beyond
aortic
pertaining to the aorta
arterial
pertaining to an artery
arteriole
a small (narrow in diameter) artery
atrial
pertaining to the atrium
cardiac
pertaining to the heart
coronary
pertaining to the heart
interatrial
pertaining to between the atria
interventricular
pertaining to between the ventricules
myocardial
pertaining to heart muscle
valvular
pertaining to a valve
vascular
pertaining to a blood vessel
venous
pertaining to a vein
ventricular
pertaining to a ventricle
venule
a small (narrow in diameter) vein
cardiology
The branch of medicine involving diagnosis and treatment of conditions and diseases of the cardiovascular system. Physician is a cardiologist.
cardiovascular technician
Healthcare professional trained to perform a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including electrocardiography, echocardiography, and exercise stress tests.
angiitis
Inflammation of a vessel.
angiospasm
An involuntary muscle contraction of the smooth muscle in the wall of a vessel; narrows the vessel.
angiostenosis
The narrowing of a vessel.
bradycardia
The condition of having a slow heart rate; typically less than 60 beats/minute; highly trained aerobic persons may normally have a slow heart rate.
embolus
The obstruction of a blood vessel by a blood clot that has broken off from a thrombus somewhere else in the body and traveled to the point of obstruction. If it occurs in a coronary artery, it may result in a myocardial infarction.
infarct
An area of tissue within an organ or part that undergoes necrosis (death) following the loss of its blood supply.
ischemia
The localized and temporary deficiency of blood supply due to an obstruction to the circulation.
murmur
A sound, in addition to the normal heart sounds, arising from blood flowing through the heart. This extra sound may or may not indicate a heart abnormality.
orthostatic hypotension
The sudden drop in blood pressure a person experiences when standing straight up suddenly.
palpitations
Pounding, racing heartbeats.
plaque
A yellow, fatty deposit of lipids in an artery that is the hallmark of atherosclerosis. Also called an atheroma.
regurgitation
To flow backwards. In the cardiovascular system this refers to the backflow of blood through a valve.
tachycardia
The condition of having a fast heart rate; typically more than 100 beats/minute while at rest.
thrombus
A blood clot forming within a blood vessel. May partially or completely occlude the blood vessel.
angina pectoris
Condition in which there is severe pain with a sensation of constriction around the heart. Caused by a deficiency of oxygen to the heart muscle.
arrhythmia
Irregularity in the heartbeat or action. Comes in many different forms; some are not serious, while others are life-threatening.
bundle branch block (BBB)
Occurs when the electrical impluse is blocked from traveling down the bundle of His or bundle branches. Results in the ventricles beating at a different rate than the atria. Also called a heart block.
cardiac arrest
Complete stopping of heart activity.
cardiomegaly
An enlarged heart.
cardiomyopathy
General term for a disease of the myocardium. Can be caused by alcohol abuse, parasites, viral infection, and congestive heart failure. One of the most common reasons a patient may require a heart transplant.
congenital septal defect (CSD)
A hole, present at birth, in the septum between two heart chambers; results in a mixture of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. There can be an atrial septal defect (ASD) and a ventricular septal defect (VSD).
congestive heart failure (CHF)
Pathological condition of the heart in which there is a reduced outflow of blood from the left side of the heart because the left ventricle myocardium has become too weak to efficiently pump blood. Results in weakness, breathlessness, and edema.
coronary artery disease (CAD)
Insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle due to an obstruction of one or more coronary arteries. May be caused by atherosclerosis and may cause angina pectoris and myocardial infarction.
endocarditis
Inflammation of the lining membranes of the heart. May be due to bacteria or to an abnormal immunological response. In bacterial endocarditis, the mass of bacteria that forms is referred to as vegetation.
fibrillation
An extremely serious arrhythmia characterized by an abnormal quivering or contraction of heart fibers. When this occurs in the ventricles, cardiac arrest and death can occur. Emergency equipment to defibrillate, or convert the heart to a normal beat, is necessary.
flutter
An arrhythmia in which the atria beat too rapidly, but in a regular pattern.
heart valve prolapse
Condition in which the cusps or flaps of the heart valve are too loose and fail to shut tightly, allowing blood to flow backward through the valve when the heart chamber contracts. Most commonly occurs in the mitral valve, but may affect any of the heart valves.
heart valve stenosis
The cusps or flaps of the heart valve are too stiff. Therefore, they are unable to open fully, making it difficult for blood to flow through, or shut tightly, allowing blood to flow backward. This condition may affect any of the heart valves.
myocardial infarction (MI)
Condition caused by the partial or complete occlusion or closing of one or more of the coronary arteries. Symptoms include a squeezing pain or heavy pressure in the middle of the chest (angina pectoris). A delay in treatment could result in death. Also referred to as a heart attack.
myocarditis
Inflammation of the muscle layer of the heart wall.
pericarditis
Inflammation of the pericardial sac around the heart.
tetralogy of Fallot
Combination of four congenital anomalies: pulmonary stenosis, an interventricular septal defect, improper placement of the aorta, and hypertrophy of the right ventricle. Needs immediate surgery to correct.
valvulitis
The inflammation of a heart valve.
aneurysm
Weakness in the wall of an artery resulting in localized widening of the artery. Although an aneurysm may develop in any artery, common sites include the aorta in the abdomen and the cerebral arteries in the brain.
arteriorrhexis
A ruptured artery; may occur if an aneurysm ruptures an arterial wall.
arteriosclerosis
Thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of the arteries. Most often due to atherosclerosis.
atheroma
A deposit of fatty substance in the wall of an artery that bulges into and narrows the lumen of the artery; a characteristic of atherosclerosis. Also called a plaque.
atherosclerosis
The most common form of arteriosclerosis. Caused by the formation of yellowish plaques of cholesterol on the inner walls of arteries.
coarctation of the aorta (CoA)
Severe congenital narrowing of the aorta.
hemorrhoid
Varicose veins in the anal region.
hypertension
Blood pressure above the normal range. Essential or primary hypertension occurs directly from cardiovascular disease. Secondary hypertension refers to high blood pressure resulting from another disease such as kidney disease.
patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
Congenital heart anomaly in which the fetal connection between the pulmonary artery and the aorta fails to close at birth. This condition may be treated with medication and resolve with time. However, in some cases surgery is required.
peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
Any abnormal condition affecting blood vessels outside the heart. Symptoms may include pain, pallor, numbness, and loss of circulation and pulses.
phlebitis
The inflammation of a vein.
polyarteritis
Inflammation of several arteries.
Raynaud’s phenomenon
Periodic ischemic attacks affecting the extremities of the body, especially the fingers, toes, ears, and nose. The affected extremities become cyanotic and very painful. These attacks are brought on by arterial constriction due to extreme cold or emotional stress.
thrombophlebitis
Inflammation of a vein resulting in the formation of blood clots with the vein.
varicose veins
Swollen and distended veins, usually in the legs.
auscultation
Process of listening to the sounds with the body by using a stethoscope.
sphygmomanometer
Instrument for measuring blood pressure. Also referred to as a blood pressure cuff.
stethoscope
Instrument for listening to body sounds (auscultation), such as the chest, heart, or intestines.
cardiac enzymes
Blood test to determine the level of enzymes specific to heart muscles in the blood. An increase in the enzymes may indicate heart muscle damage such as a myocardial infarction. These enzymes include creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT).
serum lipoprotein level
Blood test to measure the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. An indicator of atherosclerosis risk.
angiogram
X-ray record of a vessel taken during angiography.
angiography
X-rays taken after the injection of an opaque material into a blood vessel. Can be performed on the aorta as an aortic angiography, on the heart as angiocardiography, and on the brain as a cerebral angiography.
cardiac scan
Patient is given radioactive thallium intravenously and then scanning equipment is used to visualize the heart. It is especially useful in determining myocardial damage.
Doppler ultrasonography
Measurement of sound-wave echoes as they bounce off tissues and organs to produce an image. In this system, used to measure velocity of blood moving through blood vessels to look for blood clots or deep vein thromboses.
echocardiography
Noninvasive diagnostic method using ultrasound to visualize internal cardiac structures. Cardiac valve activity can be evaluated using this method.
catheter
Flexible tube inserted into the body for purpose of moving fluids into or out of the body. In the cardiovascular system a catheter is used to place dye into blood vessels so they may be visualized on x-rays.
cardiac catheterization
Passage of a thin tube catheter through a blood vessel leading to the heart. Done to detect abnormalities, to collect cardiac blood samples, and to determine the blood pressure within the heart.
electrocardiogram
Hard copy record produced by electrocardiography.
electrocardiography
Process of recording the electrical activity of the heart. Useful in the diagnosis of abnormal cardiac rhythm and heart muscle (myocardium) damage.
Holter monitor
Portable ECG monitor worn by a patient for a period of a few hours to a few days to assess the heart and pulse activity as the person goes through the activities of daily living. Used to assess a patient who experiences chest pain and unusual heart activity during exercise and normal activities.
stress testing
Method for evaluating cardiovascular fitness. The patient is placed on a treadmill or a bicycle and then subjected to steadily increasing levels of work. An EKG and oxygen levels are taken while the patien exercises. The test is stopped if abnormalities occur on the EKG. Also called an exercise test or a treadmill test.
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Procedure to restore cardiac output and oxygenated air to the lungs for a person in cardiac arrest. A combination of chest compressions (to push blood out of the heart) and artificial respiration (to blow air into the lungs) performed by one or two CPR-trained rescuers.
defibrillation
Procedure that converts serious irregular heartbeats, such as fibrillation, by giving electric shocks to the heart using an instrument called a difibrillator. Also called cardioversion. Automated external defibrillators (AED) are portable devices that automatically detect life-threatening arrhythmias and deliver the appropriate electrical shock. they are designed to be used by nonmedical personnel and are found in public places such as shopping malls and schools.
extracorporeal circulation (ECC)
During open-heart surgery, the routing of blood to a heart-lung machine so it can be oxygenated and pumped to the rest of the body.
implantable cardioverterdefibrillator (ICD)
Device implanted in the heart that delivers an electrical shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. Particularly useful for persons who experience ventricular fibrillation.
pacemaker implantation
Electrical device that substitutes for the natural pacemaker of the heart. It controls the beating of the heart by a series of rhythmic electrical impulses. An external pacemaker has the electrodes on the outside of the body. An internal pacemaker has the electrodes surgically implanted with the chest wall.
thrombolytic therapy
Process in which drugs, such as streptokinase (SK) or tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), are injected into a blood vessel to dissove clots and restore blood flow.
aneurysmectomy
Surgical removal of the sac of an aneurysm.
arterial anastomosis
Surgical joining together of two arteries. Performed if an artery is severed or if a damaged section of an artery is removed.
atherectomy
Surgical procedure to remove a deposit of fatty substance, an atheroma, from an artery.
coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
Open-heart surgery in which a blood vessel from another location in the body (often a leg vein) is grafted to route blood around a blocked coronary artery.
embolectomy
Removal of an embolus or clot from a blood vessel.
endarterectomy
Removal of the diseased or damaged inner lining of an artery. Usually performed to remove atherosclerotic plaques.
heart transplantation
Replacement of a diseased or malfunctioning heart with a donor’s heart.
intracoronary artery stent
Placement of a stent within a coronary artery to treat coronary ischemia due to atherosclerosis.
Ligation and stripping
Surgical treatment for varicose veins. The damaged vein is tied off (ligation) and removed (stripping).
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)
Method for treating localized coronary artery narrowing. A balloon catheter is inserted through the skin into the coronary artery and inflated to dilate the narrow blood vessel.
stent
Stainless steel tube placed within a blood vessel or a duct to widen the lumen.
valve replacement
Removal of a diseased heart valve and replacement with an artificial valve.
valvoplasty
Surgical procedure to repair a heart valve.
ACE inhibitor drugs
Produce vasodilation and decrease blood pressure.
antiarrhythmic
Reduces or prevents cardiac arrhythmias.
anticoagulant
Prevents blood clot formation.
antilipidemic
Reduces amount of cholesterol and lipids in the bloodstream; treats hyperlipidemia.
antiplatelet agents
Inhibits the ability of platelets to clump together as part of a blood clot.
beta-blocker drugs
Treats hypertension and angina pectoris by lowering the heart rate.
calcium channel blocker drugs
Treats hypertension, angina pectoris, and congestive heart failure by causing the heart to beat less forcefully and less often.
cardiotonic
Increases the force of cardiac muscle contraction; treats congestive heart failure.
diuretic
Increases urine production by the kidneys, which works to reduce plasma and therefore blood volume, resulting in lower blood pressure.
thrombolytic
Dissolves existing blood clots.
vasoconstrictor
Contracts smooth muscle in walls of blood vessels; raises blood pressure.
vasodilator
Relaxes the smooth muscle in the walls of arteries, thereby increasing diameter of the blood vessel. Used for two main purposes: increasing circulation to an ischemic area; reducing blood pressure.
AED
automated external defibrillator
AF
atrial fibrillation
AMI
acute myocardial infarction
AS
arteriosclerosis
ASD
atrial septal defect
ASHD
arteriosclerotic heart disease
AV, A-V
atrioventricular
BBB
bundle branch block (L for left; R for right)
BP
blood pressure
bpm
beats per minute
CABG
coronary artery bypass graft
CAD
coronary artery disease
cath
catheterization
CC
cardiac catheterization, chief complaint
CCU
coronary care unit
CHF
congestive heart failure
CoA
coarctation of the aorta
CP
chest pain
CPR
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CSD
congenital septal defect
CV
cardiovascular
DVT
deep vein thrombosis
ECC
extracorporeal circulation
ECG, EKG
electrocardiogram
ECHO
echocardiogram
GOT
glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase
HTN
hypertension
ICD
implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
ICU
intensive care unit
IV
intravenous
LVAD
left ventricular assist device
LVH
left ventricular hypertrophy
MI
myocardial infarction, mitral insufficiency
mm Hg
millimeters of mercury
MR
mitral regurgitation
MS
mitral stenosis
MVP
mitral valve prolapse
P
pulse
PAC
premature atrial contraction
PDA
patent ductus arteriosus
PTCA
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
PVC
premature ventricular contraction
S1
first heart sound
S2
second heart sound
SA, S-A
sinoatrial
SK
streptokinase
tPA
tissue-type plasminogen activator
V fib
ventricular fibrillation
VSD
Ventricular septal defect
VT
ventricular tachycardia
