Cardiovascular System Diagnostic, Symptomatic, and Related Terms (+ various terms from text) Flashcards
angina
chest pain
syncope
loss of consciousness
arrhythmias
cardiac irregularities
embolus (plural: emboli)
a thrombus that travels through the vascular system
infarct
localized tissue death
aneurysm
vascular bulge that may rupture. an excessive localized widening of an artery caused by weakening of the vascular wall.
hypercholesterolemia
elevated cholesterol level
endarterectomy
treatment method for arteriosclerosis that involves removing occluding material and plaque from the innermost layer of the artery.
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
procedure in which a deflated balloon is passed through a small incision in the skin and into a diseased blood vessel. Inflating the balloon presses occluding material against lumen walls to force open the channel. Sometimes a stent is used.
coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
one area is sutured to the aorta and the other end is sutured to the coronary artery bellow the blocked area, reestablishing blood flow to the blocked area
endocarditis
inflammation of the inner lining of the heart and its valves.
may be noninfective in nature, caused by thrombi formation, or infective, caused by various microorganisms (usually bacteria)
insufficiency
incomplete closure of cardiac valves
bacteremia
bacteria traveling in the blood stream
prophylactic treatment
antibiotic treatment given to patients who are susceptible to endocarditis
varicose veins
develops when the valves of the veins do not function properly (incompetent) and fail to prevent backflow of blood
most common in lesser and greater saphenous veins of the lower legs.
teleangiectases
varicose veins that look like short, fine lines, starburst clusters, or weblike mazes
myoxoma
rare, but most common primary tumor of the heart
composed of mucous connective tissue
tend to be benign
occasionally, they impede mitral valves function and cause a decrease in exercise tolerance, dyspnea, pulmonary edema, and systemic problems including joint pain, malaise, and anemia
aneurysm
localized abnormal dilation of a vessel, usually an artery
arrest
condition of being stopped or bringing to a stop
- cardiac: loss of effective cardiac function, which results in cessation of circulation. May be due to ventricular fibrillation (most common arrhythmia in cardiac arrest patients) or asystole in which thereis no observable myocardial activity.
- circulatory: cessation of the circulation of blood due to ventricular standstill or fibrillation
arrhythmia
inability of the heart to maintain a normal sinus rhythm, possibly including a rapid or slow beat or “skipping” a beat; also called dysrhythmia
bruit
soft blowing sound heart on auscultation, possibly due to vibrations associated with the movement of blood, valvular action, or both; also called murmur
cardiomyopathy
any disease or weakening of heart muscle that diminishes cardiac function. causes included viral or bacterial infections, metabolic disorders, or general systemic disease
catheter
thin, flexible, hollow plastic tube that is small enough to be threaded through a vein, artery, or tubular structure.
coarctation
narrowing of a vessel, especially the aorta
deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
blood clot that forms in the deep veins of the body, especially those in the legs or thighs.
blood clots may break away from the vein wall and travel in the body. If they lodge in the lung, the condition is called pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism may be life threatening if a large portion of the lung is damaged.
ejection fraction
calculation of how much blood a ventricle can eject with one contraction.
the left ventricular EF averages 50 to 70% in healthy hearts but can be markedly reduced if part of the heart muscle dies, as evident after an MI or in cardiomyopathy or valvular heart disease
heart failure (HF)
failure of the heart to supply an adequate amount of blood to tissues and organs.
commonly caused by impaired coronary blood flow, cardiomyopathies, and heart valve disease.
embolus
Mass of undissolved matter (foreign objects, air, gas, tissue, thrombus) circulating in blood or lymphatic channels until it becomes lodged in a vessel.
fibrillation
quivering or spontaneous muscle contractions, especially of the heart, causing ineffectual contractions.
commonly corrected with a defibrillator
hemostasis
arrest of bleeding or circulation
hyperlipidemia
excessive amounts of lipids (cholesterol, phospholipids, and triglycerides) in the blood
hypercholesterolemia
an elevation of cholesterol in the blood. associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis.
hypertension (HTN)
Common disorder characterized by elevated blood pressure persistently exceeding 140 mm Hg systolic or 90 mm Hg diastolic
primary: HTN in which there is no identifiable cause; also called essential hypertension. most common form. associated with obesity, high serum sodium, hypercholesterolemia, or family history.
secondary: HTN that results from an underlying identifiable, commonly correctable cause.
hypertensive heart disease
any heart disorder caused by prolonged hypertension, including left ventricular hypertrophy, coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure
implantable cardioverterdefibrilator (ICD)
Implantable battery powered device that monitors and automatically corrects ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation by sending electrical impulses to the heart.
ventricular fibrillation causes death within 5 to 10 minutes.
infarct
area of tissue that undergoes necrosis following cessation of blood supply
ischemia
local and temporary deficiency of blood supply due to circulatory obstruction
mitral valve prolapse (MVP)
common and occasionally serious condition in which the leaflets of the mitral valve prolapse into the left atrium during systole causing a characteristic murmur heard on auscultation.
Common signs and symptoms of MVP include palpitations of the heart and, occasionally, panic attacks with pounding heartbeat. Because of the possibility of valve infection, prophylactic treatment with antibiotics is suggested before undergoing invasive procedures such as dental work.
radioisotope
chemical radioactive material used as a tracer to follow a substance through the body or a structure
palpitation
sensation that the heart is not beating normally, possibly including “thumping,” fluttering,” “skipped beats,” or a pounding feeling in the chest.
most palpitations are harmless, but those caused by arrhythmias may be serious. Medical attention should be sought if palpitations are accompanied by pain, dizziness, overall weakness, or shortness of breath
patent ductus arteriosus
failure of the ductus arteriosus to close after birth, allowing blood to flow from the aorta into the pulmonary (lung) artery
perfusion
circulation of blood through tissues or the passages of fluids through vessels of an organ
tetralogy of Fallot
Congenital anomaly consisting of four elements: pulmonary artery stenosis, interventricular septal defect, transportation of the aorta, so that both ventricles empty into the aorta; and right ventricular hypertrophy caused by increased workload of the right ventricle
stent
slender or threadlike devise used to hold open vessels, tubes, or obstructed arteries. Used to support tubular structures that are being anastomosed or to induce or maintain patency within these tubular structures.
thrombus
blood clot that obstructs a vessel
