Cardiology Definitions Flashcards
Abnormal
Aberrant
Corresponds with the onset of the QRS complex to approximately the peak of the T wave; cardiac cells cannot be stimulated to conduct an electrical impulse, no matter how strong the stimulus is called?
Absolute refractory period
An extra bundle of working myocardial tissue that forms a connection between the atria and ventricles outside the normal conduction system.
Accessory pathway
A five-phase cycle that reflects the difference in the concentration of these charged particles across the cell membrane at any given time is called?
Action Potential
A sudden blockage of arterial blood flow that occurs because of a thrombus, embolus, tumor, direct trauma to an artery, or an unknown cause is called?
Acute Arterial Occlusion
A term used to describe to describe ischemic chest discomfort. ACSs consist of three major syndromes: unstable angina, NSTEMI, and STEMI is called?
Acute Coronary Syndrome
Pressure or resistance against which the ventricles must pump to eject blood is called?
Afterload
Height (voltage) of a waveform on the ECG is called?
Amplitude
Massive generalized body edema is called?
Anasarca
Localized dilation or bulging of a blood vessel wall or wall of a heart chamber is called?
Aneurysm
Symptoms of myocardial ischemia other than chest pain or discomfort is called?
Anginal equivalents
Chest discomfort or other related symptoms of sudden onset that may occur because the increased oxygen demand of the heart temporarily exceeds the blood supply is called?
Angina Pectoris
Medications used to correct irregular heartbeats and slow hearts that beat too fast is called?
Antiarrhythmic
SL valve on the left of the heart; separates the left ventricle from the aorta is called?
Aortic valve
Lower portion of the heart, tip of the ventricles (approximately the level of the fifth left intercostal space); points leftward, downward, and forward is called?
Apex of the Heart
Term often used interchangeably with dysrhythmia; any disturbance or abnormality in a normal rhythmic pattern; any cardiac rhythm other than a sinus rhythm is called?
Arrhythmia
A chronic disease of the arterial system characterized by abnormal thickening and hardening of the vessel walls is called?
Arteriosclerosis
A total absence of ventricular electrical activity is called?
Asystole
A form of arteriosclerosis in which the thickening and hardening of the vessel walls are caused by a buildup of fatty deposits in the inner lining of large and middle-sized muscular arteries (from athero, meaning gruel or paste, and sclerosis, meaning hardness) is called?
Atherosclerosis
Distortion of and ECG tracing by electrical activity that is noncardiac in origin (e.g., electrical interference, poor electrical conduction, patient movement) is called?
Artifact
Marked abdominal swelling from a buildup of fluid in the peritoneal cavity is called?
Ascites
Fixed-rate pacemaker that continuously discharges at a preset rate regardless of the patient’s intrinsic cavity is called?
Asynchronous pacemaker
Two upper chambers of the heart is called?
Atria
The AV node and the nonbranching portion of the bundle of His is called?
Atrioventricular junction
A group of cells that conduct an electrical impulse through the heart; located in the floor of the right atrium immediately behind the tricuspid valve and near the opening of the coronary sinus is called?
Atrioventricular node
Type of dual-chamber pacemaker that stimulates first the atrium, then the ventricle, mimicking normal cardiac physiology is called?
Atrioventricular sequential pacemaker
Valve located between each atrium and ventricle; the tricuspid separates the right atrium from the right ventricle, and the mitral bicuspid separates the left atrium from the left ventricle is called?
Atrioventricular valve
Leads a VR, a VL, and VF; these leads record the difference in electrical potential at on location relative to zero potential rather than relative to the electrical potential of another extremity, as in the bipolar leads is called?
Augmented limb lead
Ability of cardiac pacemaker cells to initiate an electrical impulse spontaneously without being stimulated from another source (such as a nerve) is called?
Automaticity
Imaginary line joining the positive and negative electrodes of a lead is called?
Axis
Straight line recorded on ECG graph paper when no electrical activity is detected is called?
Baseline
Top of the heart; located at approximately the level of the second intercostal space is called?
Base of the heart
Waveform that is partly positive and partly negative is called?
Biphasic
ECG lead consisting of a positive and negative electrode; a pacing lead with two electrical poles that are external from the pulse generator; the negative pole is located at the extreme distal tip of the pacing lead, and the positive pole is located several millimeters proximal to the negative electrode. The stimulating pulse is delivered through the negative electrode is called?
Bipolar limb lead
PAC not followed by a QRS complex is called?
Blocked premature atrial complex
Force exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries as the ventricles of the heart contract and relax is called?
Blood pressure
Heart rate slower than 60 beats/min (from brady, meaning “slow”)
Bradycardia
Blowing or swishing sound created by the turbulence within a blood vessel is called?
Bruit
Abnormal conduction of an electrical impulse through either the right or left bundle branches is called?
Bundle Branch block (BBB)
Fibers located in the upper portion of the interventricular septum that conduct an electrical impulse through the heart is called?
Bundle of His
Three or more sequential ectopic beats; also referred to as a salvo or run is called?
Burst
Regulation of an ECG machine’s stylus sensitivity so that a 1 mV electrical signal will produce a deflection measuring exactly 10 mm is called?
Calibration
Ability of a pacing stimulus to depolarize successfully the cardiac chamber being paced; with one-to-one capture, each pacing stimulus results in depolarization of the appropriate chamber is called?
Capture
Absence of cardiac mechanical activity, confirmed by the absence of a detectable pulse, unresponsiveness, and apnea or agonal, gasping respirations is called?
Cardiac arrest
Period from the beginning of one heart-beat to the beginning of the next; normally consisting of PQRST waves, complexes, and intervals is called?
Cardiac cycle
Amount of blood pumped into the aorta each minute by the heart is called?
Cardiac output
A condition in which heart muscle function is severely impaired, leading to decreased cardiac output and inadequate tissue perfusion is called?
Cardiogenic shock
A disease of the heart muscle is called?
Cardiomyopathy
A collection of diseases and conditions that involve the heart (cardio) and blood vessels (vascular) is called?
Cardiovascular disorders
Having the characteristics of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is called?
Cholinergic
Thin strands of fibrous connective tissue that extend from the AV valves to the papillary muscles that prevent the AV valves from bulging back into the atria during ventricular systole (contraction) is called?
Chordae tendineae
A change in heart rate is called?
Chronotropism
Division of the left coronary artery is called?
Circumflex artery
Pause for which the normal beat after a premature complex occurs when expected; also called a complete pause is called?
Compensatory pause
Several waveforms is called?
Complex
A system of pathways in the heart composed of specialized electrical (pacemaker) cells is called?
Conduction system
Ability of a cardiac cell to receive an electrical stimulus and conduct that impulse to an adjacent cardiac cell is called?
Conductivity
Ability of cardiac cells to shorten, causing cardiac muscle contraction in response to an electrical stimulus is called?
Contractility
Disease of the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood is called?
Coronary artery disease
Disease of the coronary arteries and their resulting complications, such as angina pectoris or acute myocardial infarction is called?
Coronary heart disease
Venous drain for the coronary circulation into the right atrium is called?
Coronary Sinus
Right-sided heart failure caused by pulmonary disease is called?
Cor pulmonale
Two consecutive premature complexes is called?
Couplet
Flow of electrical charge from one point to another is called?
Current
A connective tissue disease in which the elastic tissue and smooth muscle fibers of the middle arterial layer degenerate is called?
Cystic medial degeneration
Protein molecules produced by white blood cells that act as chemical messengers between cells is called?
Cytokines
Presence of a clot in the deep veins of the extremities is called?
Deep vein thrombosis
Therapeutic use of electric current to terminate lethal cardiac dysrhythmias is called?
Defibrillation
Slurring of the beginning portion of the QRS complex caused by preexcitation is called
Delta wave
Synchronous pacemaker that discharges only when the patient’s heart rate drops below the preset rate for the pacemaker is called?
Demand pacemaker
Movement of ions across a cell membrane, causing the inside of the cell to become more positive an electrical event expected to result in contraction is called?
Depolarization
Phase of the cardiac cycle in which the atria and ventricles relax between contractions and blood enters these chambers is called?
Diastole
Pressure exerted against the walls of the large arteries during ventricular relaxation is called?
Diastolic blood pressure
The speed of conduction through the AV junction is called?
Dromotropism
Pacemaker that stimulates the atrium and ventricle is called?
Dual-chamber pacemaker
An uncomfortable awareness fo one’s breathing; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing is called?
Dyspnea
Any disturbance or abnormality in a normal rhythmic patter; any cardiac rhythm other than a sinus rhythm is called?
Dysrhythmia
Impulses originating from a source other than the SA node is called?
Ectopic
A beat-to-beat change in waveform amplitude on the ECG is called?
Electrical alternans
Adhesive pads that contain a conductive gel and are applied at a specific locations on the patient’s chest wall and extremities and connected by cables to an ECG machine is called?
Electrodes
Elements or compounds that break into charged particles (ions) when melted or dissolved in water or another solvent is called?
Electrolytes
Innermost layer of the heart that lines the inside of the myocardium and covers the heart valves is called?
Endocardium
Implies the presence of dilation or hypertrophy is called?
Enlargement
Also known as the visceral pericardium; the external layer of the heart wall that covers the heart muscle is called?
Epicardium
Term used when the sinus node slows or fails to initiate depolarization and a lower pacemaker site spontaneously produces electrical impulses, assuming responsibility for pacing the heart is called?
Escape
High blood pressure for which there is no identifiable cause; also called primary hypertension is called?
Essential hypertension
Ability of cardiac muscle cells to respond to an outside stimulus is called?
Excitability
A brief loss of consciousness caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the brain is called?
Fainting
Small bundle of nerve fibers is called?
Fascicle
The breakdown of fibrin, the main component of blood clots is called?
Fibrinolysis
VF with fibrillatory waves less than 3 mm in height is called?
Fine ventricular fibrillation
Asynchronous pacemaker that continuously discharges at a preset rate regardless of the patient’s heart rate is called?
Fixed-rate pacemaker
AT that begins in a small area (focus) within the heart is called?
Focal atrial tachycardia
Large vessels that carry blood to and from the heart: superior and inferior venae cavae, pulmonary veins, aorta, and pulmonary trunk is called?
Great vessels
Third ECG electrode (the first and second are the positive and negative electrodes), which minimizes electrical activity from other sources is called?
Ground electrode
A broad term referring to conditions affecting the heart is called?
Heart disease
A condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the metabolic needs of the body is called?
Heart failure
Portion of the conduction system consisting of the bundle of His, bundle branches, and Purkinje fibers is called?
His-Purkinje system
Pain and tenderness in the calf muscle on dorsiflexion of the foot is called?
Homan’s sign
Situations that require rapid (within 1 hour) lowering of blood pressure to prevent or limit organ damage is called?
Hypertensive emergencies
Significant elevations in blood pressure with nonspecific symptoms that should be corrected within 24 hours is called?
Hypertensive urgencies
Increase in the thickness of a heart chamber because of chronic pressure overload is called?
Hypertrophy
Inadequate tissue perfusion caused by inadequate vascular volume is called?
Hypovolemic shock
Death of tissue because of an inadequate blood supply is called?
Infarction
ECG changes seen in leads looking directly at the wall of the heart in an infarction is called?
Indicative change
A change in myocardial contractility is called?
Inotropism
Pain, cramping, muscle tightness, fatigue, or weakness of the legs when walking or during exercise is called?
Intermittent claudication
Waveform and a segment; in pacing, the period, measured in milliseconds, between any two designated cardiac events is called?
Interval
Rate at which a pacemaker of the heart normally generates impulses is called?
Intrinsic rate
Electrically charged particle is called?
Ion
Decreased supply of oxygenated blood to a body part or organ is called?
Ischemia
Absence of electrical activity; observed on the ECG as a straight line is called?
Isoelectric line
Point where the QRS complex and ST segment meet is called?
J-point
A rhythm that begins in the AV junction with a rate of less than 40 beats/min is called?
Junctional bradycardia
Electrical connection attached to the body to record electrical activity is called?
Lead
Severe hypertension with signs of acute and progressive damage to end organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys is called?
Malignant hypertension
Located in the middle of the thoracic cavity; contains the heart, great vessels, trachea, and esophagus, among other structures; extends from the sternum to the vertebral column is called?
Mediastinum
Difference in electrical charge across the cell membrane is called
Membrane potential
Unit of measure of electrical current needed to elicit depolarization of the myocardium is called?
Milliampere
Difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit is called?
Millivolt
Having the same shape is called?
Monomorphic
Cardiac dysrhythmia that occurs because of impulses originating from various sites, including the SA node, the atria, and/or the AV junction; requires at least three different P waves, seen in the same lead, for proper diagnosis is called?
Multiformed atrial rhythm
Working cells of the myocardium that contain contractile filaments and form the muscular layer of the atrial walls and the thicker muscular layer of the ventricular walls is called?
Myocardial cells
Necrosis of some mass of the heart muscle caused by an inadequate blood supply is called?
Myocardial infarction
Inflammation of the middle and thickest layer of the heart, the myocardium is called?
Myocarditis
Middle and thickest layer of the heart; contains the cardiac muscle fibers that cause contraction of the heart as well as the conduction system and blood supply is called?
Myocardium
A chemical released from one nerve that crosses the synaptic cleft to reach a receptor is called?
Neurotransmitter
Dyspnea relieved by a change in position (either sitting upright or standing) is called?
Othopnea
A normal chemical process in the body caused by the release of oxygen atoms created during normal cell metabolism is called?
Oxidation
Artificial pulse generator that delivers an electrical current to the heart to stimulate depolarization is called?
Pacemaker
Specialized cells of the heart’s electrical conduction system capable of spontaneously generating and conducting electrical impulses is called?
Pacemaker cells
An unpleasant awareness of one’s heartbeat is called?
Palpitations
Muscles attached the chardae tendineae of the heart valves and the ventricular muscle of the heart is called?
Papillary muscles
Atrial Tachycardia that starts or ends suddenly is called?
Paroxysmal atrial tachycardia
A sudden onset of difficulty breathing that awakens the patient from sleep is called?
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
A regular, narrow-QRS tachycardia that starts or ends suddenly is called?
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT)
An increase in the volume and/or character of pericardial fluid that surrounds the heart is called?
Pericardial effusion
A procedure in which a needle is inserted into the pericardial space and the excess fluid is drawn out (aspirated) through the needle is called?
Pericardiocentesis
Inflammation of the double-walled sac (pericardium) that encloses the heart is called?
Pericarditis
Protective sac that surrounds the heart is called?
Pericardium
Ability of a membrane channel to allow passage of electrolytes once it is open is called?
Permeability
Apical impulse; the site where the heartbeat is most strongly felt is called?
Point of maximal impulse (PMI)
Period after repolarization of a myocardial cell (also called the resting state) when the outside of the cell is positive and the interior of the cell is negative is called?
Polarized state
Varying in shape is called?
Polymorphic
Difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit; expressed in volts or millivolts is called?
Potential difference
Term used to describe rhythms that originate from above the ventricles but in which the impulse travels by a pathway other than the AV node and bundle of HIS; thus the supraventricular impulse excites the ventricles earlier than normal is called?
Preexcitation
Force exerted by the blood on the walls of the ventricles at the end of diastole is called?
Preload
Early beat occurring before the next expected beat; can be atrial, junctional, or ventricular is called?
Premature complex
High blood pressure for which no cause is identifiable; also called essential hypertension is called?
Primary hypertension
Blod from the right ventricle is pumped directly to the lungs for oxygenation through the pulmonary trunk; blood becomes oxygenated and is then delivered through the pulmonary arteries for the left atrium is called?
Pulmonary circulation
A buildup of fluid in the lungs, usually a complication of LVF is called?
Pulmonary edema
A difference between the apical pulse and the peripheral pulse rates is called?
Pulse deficit
Power source that houses the battery and controls for regulating a pacemaker is called?
Pulse generator
Organized electrical activity observed on a cardiac monitor (other than VT) without the patient having a palpable pulse is called?
Pulseless electrical activity (PEA)
Difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressures is called?
Pulse pressure
A beat-to-beat difference in the strength of a pulse (also called mechanical alternans) is called?
Pulsus alteranans
A fall in systolic blood pressure of more than 10 mm Hg during inspiration (also called paradoxical pulse) is called?
Pulsus paradoxus
Fibers found in both ventricles that conduct an electrical impulse through the heart is called?
Purkinje fibers
First wave in the cardiac cycle; represents atrial depolarization and the spread of the electrical impulse throughout the right and left atria is called?
P wave
Several waveforms (Q wave, R wave, S wave) that represent the spread of an electrical impulse through the ventricles (ventricular depolarization) is called?
QRS complex
Mirror image ECG changes seen in the wall of the heart opposite the location of an infarction is called?
Reciprocal change
Spread of an impulse through tissue already stimulated by that same impulse is called?
Reentry
Period of recovery that cells need after being discharged before they are able to respond to a stimulus is called?
Refractoriness
Corresponds with the downslope of the T wave; cardiac cells can be stimulated to depolarize if the stimulus is strong enough is called?
Relative refractory period
Movement of ions across a cell membrane in which the inside of the cell is restored to its negative charge is called?
Repolarization
Moving backward or moving in the opposite direction to that which is considered normal is called?
Retrograde
Traits and lifestyle habits that may increase a person’s chance of developing a disease is called?
Risk factors
On an ECG, the first positive deflection in the QRS complex, representing ventricular depolarization is called?
R wave
High blood pressure that has an identifiable cause, such as medications or an underlying disease or condition is called?
Secondary hypertension
Line between waveforms; named by the waveform that precedes and follows it is called?
Segment
Valves shaped like half moons that separate the ventricles from the aorta and pulmonary artery is called?
Semilunar (SL) valves
Ability of a pacemaker to recognize and respond to intrinsic electrical activity is called?
Sensing
Partition is called?
Septum
Inadequate tissue perfusion that results from the failure of the cardiovascular system to deliver sufficient oxygen and nutrients to sustain vital organ function is called?
Shock
A normal heart rhythm is called?
Sinus rhythm
Amount of blood ejected by either ventricle during one contraction; can be calculated as cardiac output divided by heart rate is called?
Stroke volume
An unexpected death form a cardiac cause that either occurs immediately or within 1 hour of the onset of symptoms is called?
Sudden cardiac death (SCD)
Period during the cardiac cycle when a weaker than normal stimulus can cause cardiac cells to depolarize; extends from the en of phase 3 to the beginning of phase 4 of the cardiac action potential is called?
Supernormal period
Originating from a site above the bifurcation of the bundle of HIS, such as the SA node, atria, or AV junction is called?
Supraventricular
Rhythms that begin in the SA node, atrial tissue, or the AV junction is called?
Supraventricular Dysrhythmias
A brief loss of consciousness caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the brain is called?
Syncope
Contraction of the heart (usually referring to ventricular contraction) during which blood is propelled into the pulmonary artery and aorta; when the term is used without reference to a specific chamber of the heart, the term implies ventricular systole is called?
Systole
Pressure exerted against the walls of the large arteries at the peak of ventricular contraction is called?
Systolic blood pressure
Development of a clot in a vein in which inflammation is present is called?
Thromboplebitis
Blood clot
Thrombus
Interval between two successive PQRST complexes during which electrical activity of the heart is absent; begins with the end of the T wave through the onset of the following P wave and represents the period form the end of ventricular repolarization to the onset of atrial depolarization is called?
TP segement
A pacing lead with a single electrical pole at the distal tip of the pacing lead (negative pole) through which the stimulating pulse is delivered. In a permanent pacemaker with a unipolar lead, the positive pole is the pulse generator case is called?
Unipolar lead
Amount of opposition that the blood vessels give to the flow of blood is called?
Vascular resistance
Amount of blood flowing into the right atrium each minute from the systemic circulation is called?
Venous return
Either of the two lower chambers of the heart is called?
Ventricle
Difference in electrical charge between two points is called?
Voltage
Movement away from the baseline in either a positive or negative direction is called?
Waveform
Type of pre-excitation syndrome characterized by a slurred upstroke of the QRS complex (delta wave) and wide QRS is called?
Wolff-Parkinson-White sndrome
