Cardiology (Pt. 2) Flashcards
What types of blood vessels does angi/o refer to?
Can refer to either blood vessels or lymph vessels; it does not indicate what type of blood vessel.
Aorta
The largest artery in the body; carries oxygenated blood from left ventricle to body.
Arterioles
The smallest arteries; carry blood from artery to capillary bed.
Arteries
Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart and toward a capillary be; arteries to the lung carry deoxygenated blood and arteries to the body carry oxygenated blood.
Plaque
The soft, yellow, fatty deposits that build up along inner wall of blood vessels.
Atria
The upper chambers of the heart, receive blood returning to the heart; left atrium receives oxygenated blood from lungs and right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from body.
What is composition and function of heart?
Composed of cardiac muscle tissue called the myocardium that contracts to develop the pressure needed to push blood through vessels.
Septum
Divides the heart into its left and right halves.
Embolus
A piece broken off from a clot, mass of fat, or bacteria that floats through blood vessels until it plugs up small blood vessel, blocking blood flow.
What does isch/o more precisely mean?
To hold back means to stop, as in blood flow.
Veins
Blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart from capillary beds; veins from body carry deoxygenated blood and veins from lungs carry oxygenated blood.
What does -sclerosis indicate in the cardiovascular system?
Indicates blood vessel becoming hard and inflexible due to buildup of cholesterol plaques along vessel wall.
Thrombus
A blood clot forming in blood vessel; if large enough, it will partially or completely block blood flow through blood vessel.
Valves
Flaplike structures that close tightly to prevent backflow of blood; ensures that blood always flows in forward direction; there are four valves in heart (ticuspid, mitral, pulmonary, and aortic) and many in veins.
Varicosity
Condition in which a vein becomes dilated due to ineffective valves; blood flow through varicosity becomes very low and sluggish.
Ventricles
Large, very muscular pumping chambers of the heart; left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to body and right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to lungs.
Venules
The smallest veins; receive blood from capillaries and carry it to larger veins.
Aneurysm
Localized widening of artery due to weakness in arterial wall; may develop in any artery, but common sites are abdominal aorta and cerebral arteries.
Angina Pectoris
Severe chest pain caused by myocardial ischemia.
Arrhythmia
Irregular heart beat
Auscultation
Listening to sounds within body, such as heart or lungs, by using stethoscope.
Bacterial Endocarditis
Inflammation of inner lining of heart (the endocardium) caused by bacteria; may result in visible accumulation of bacteria called vegetation.
Blood Pressure (BP)
Measurement of pressure extend by blood against walls of blood vessel
Bradycardia
Abnormally slow heart rate below 60 beats per minute (bpm)
Cardiac Arrest
Complete stoppage of all heart activity, both electrical signals and muscle contractions.
Cardiac Catheterization (CC)
Passage of thin tube (catheter) through veins or arteries leading into heart; used to detect heart abnormalities, to collect cardiac blood samples, and to determine pressure within heart.
Cardiac Enzymes
Complex proteins released by heart muscle when it is damaged; taken by blood sample to determine amount of heart disease or damage; most common cardiac enzymes are creatine kinase (CK), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Applying external compressions to rib cage in order to maintain blood flow and air movement in and out of lungs during cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Congenital Septal Defect (CSD)
Birth defect in wall separating two chambers of heart allowing blood to pass between two chambers; there can be atrial septal defect (ASD) or ventricular septal defect (VSD).
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
Condition that develops when heart muscle is not able to pump blood forcefully enough, reducing blood flow to body; results in weakness, dyspnea, and edema.
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)
Open-heart surgery in which blood vessel, often leg vein, is grafted to route blood around occluded coronary artery.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
Chronic heart disease casued by arteriosclerosis or therosclerosis of coronary arteries; also called arteriosclerotic heart disease (ASHD).
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Formation of blood clots in deep veins; usually occurs in legs; pieces of clot may break away forming emboli.
Defibrillation
Using instrument called defibrillator to give electrical shock to heart for purpose of converting arrhythmia back to normal heart beat; aslo called cardioversion.
Doppler Ultrasonography
Imaging technique using ultrasound to create moving image; utilized to evalute blood flow through blood vessels, movement of heart valves, and movement of heart muscle during contraction.
Electrocardiography
Diagnostic procedure that records electrical activity of heart; used to diagnose damage to heart tissue from coronary heart disease or myocardial infarction.
Endarterectomy
Surgical removal of inner linning of artery in order to remove plaques.
Fibrillation
Abnormal quivering or contractions of heart fibers; occurrence within fibers of ventricle of heart result in cardiac arrest and death; emergency equipment to defibrillate, or convert heart to normal beat, is necessary.
Heart Murmur
Abnormal heart sound as soft blowing sound or harsh click; they may be soft and hard only with stethoscope or so loud they can be heard several feet away.
Heart Transplantation
Replacement of diseased or malfunctioning heart with donor’s heart.
Heart Valve Prolapse
Cusps or flaps of heart valve are too loose and failt to shut tightly, allowing blood to flow backwards (regurgitation) through valve when heart chamber contracts; most commonly occurs in mitral valve, but may affect any heart valve.
Heart Valve Stenosis
Cusps or flaps of heart valve are too stiff and unable to open fully, making it difficult for blood to flow through; condition may affect any heart valves but most often affects mitral valve.
Holter Monitor
Portable ECG monitor worn by patient for period of few hours to few days to assess heart and pulse activity as person goes through activites of daily living; used to asses patient who experiences chest pain and unusual heart activity during exercise and normal activities.
Hypertension (HTN)
Blood pressure above normal range; usually systolic pressure above 140 mmHg or diastolic pressure above 90 mmHg.
Hypotension
Decrease in blood pressure; can occur in shock, infection, cancer, anemia, or as death appraoches.
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)
Electrical device implated in chest cavity with electrodes to heart; applies shock to heart to stop potentially life-threatening arrhythmias such as fibrillation.
Infarct
Area of tissue necrosis that develops from ischemia.
Intravascular Thrombolytic Therapy
Treatment for clots occluding blood vessel; drugs, such as streptokinase (SK) or tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), are injected into blood vessels to chemically dissolve clots; commonly referred to as clot-busters.
Myocardial Infarction (MI)
Infarct of heart muscle caused by occlusion of one or more of coronary arteries; symptoms include angina pectoris and shortness of breath; also referred to as heart attack.
Myocardial Ischemia
Loss of blood supply to heart muscle tissue of myocardium due to occlusion of coronary artery; may cause angina pectoris or myocardial infarction.
Occlusion
Blockage of blood vessel or other hollow structure; may be caused by thrombus, plaque, or embolus.
Pacemaker
Eletrical device that artificially stimulates contraction of heart muscle; treatment by bradycardia.
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA)
Method for treating coronary artery narrowing; balloon catheter is inserted into coronary artery and inflated to dilate narrow blood vessel.
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD)
Disease of blood vessels away from central region of body, most typically in legs; symptoms include pain, numbness, and impaired circulation.
Sphygmomanometer
Instrument for measuring blood pressure; also referred to as blood pressure cuff.
Stent
Stainles steel tube placed within blood vessel or duct to widen lumen; may be placed in coronary artery to treat myocardial ischemia due to atherosclerosis.
Stress Test
Method for evaluating cardiovascular fitness; patient is placed on treadmill or a bicycle and then subjected to steadily levels of work; EKG and oxygen levels are taken while patient exercises; test is stopped if abnormalities occur on EKG.
Tachycardia
Abnormally fast heart rate more than 100 beats per minutes (bpm)
Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)
Specialized echocardiography procedure in which patient swallows ultrasound head in order to better visualize internal cadiac structures, especially cardiac valves.
Varicose Veins
Sowllen and distended veins, most commonly in legs.
Venipuncture
Puncture into vein to withdraw blood or inject medication or fluids.
