Cardiovascular Vocab Flashcards
Which type of circulation takes blood to and from the cells of the lungs?
pulmonary
Which type of circulation begins with blood being pumped out of the left side of the heart?
systemic
What is the waste product excreted by the lungs?
carbon dioxide
Which is a combining form for a vessel that carries blood away from the heart?
arteri/o
Which is a combining form for a vessel that carries blood toward the heart?
phleb/o
The visceral pericardium is:
epicardium
The tissue walls between the chambers of the heart are:
septa
The area of the chest wall anterior to the heart and lower thorax is:
precordium
An upper chamber of the heart is the:
atrium
A lower chamber of the heart is the:
ventricle
The heart muscle’s dedicated system of blood supply is the:
coronary arteries
Deoxygenated blood travels to the lungs through the:
pulmonary arteries
Blood returns to the heart from systemic circulation through the:
vena cava
Oxygenated blood leaves the heart through the:
aorta
The valve between the right upper and lower chambers of the heart is the:
tricuspid valve
The valve between the left upper and lower chambers of the heart is the:
mitral/bicuspid valve
A synonym for the bicuspid valve is:
mitral valve
Which is NOT an area of the heart wall fed by the coronary arteries?
superior
The inner lining of the heart is:
endocardium
Heart rate is measured in:
BPM
The contractive phase of the heartbeat is:
systole
The relaxation phase of the heartbeat is:
diastole
The amount of blood expelled from the left ventricle compared with the total volume filling the
ventricle is called:
ejection fraction
Blood pressure is measured with a(n):
sphygmomanometer
The natural pacemaker of the heart is the:
sinoatrial node
An abnormal heartbeat is a/an:
arrhythmia
The atrioventricular bundle is the same as the:
bundle of His
The process of recording the electrical activity of the heart is:
electrocardiography
An abnormal sound heard when auscultating an artery is a:
bruit
Profuse secretion of sweat is:
diaphoresis
Pounding or racing of the heart is:
palpitation
Paleness of skin and/or mucous membranes is:
pallor
An abnormal heart sound heard during systole, diastole, or both is a:
murmur
An abnormally slow heartbeat is:
bradycardia
Breathlessness or air hunger is:
SOB
Fainting is:
syncope
An enlargement of the heart is:
cardiomegaly
Discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes caused by insufficient oxygenation of the blood is:
cyanosis
Fine vibration felt by the examiner on touch is a:
thrill
An abnormal opening between the pulmonary artery and the aorta is:
pda (patent ductus arteriosus)
A narrowing of the largest artery of the body is:
coarctation of the aorta
A hole in the wall between the top chambers of the heart is:
asd (atrial septal defect)
A hole in the wall between the lower chambers of the heart is:
vsd
A backflow of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium across a diseased valve in systole is:
mr
A protrusion of one or both cusps of the valve on the left side of the heart back into the left upper
chamber is:
mvp (mitral valve prolapse)
Inflammation of a valve is:
valvulitis
Premature atrial contractions are:
aeb
Rapid, regular atrial rhythm is:
atrial flutter
Ventricular ectopic beats are:
pvc (premature ventricular beats)
The most common type of cardiac arrhythmia, manifesting as a series of extremely rapid and
irregular atrial contractions, is:
atrial fibrillation
Paroxysmal chest pain, often accompanied by shortness of breath and a sensation of impending doom, is:
angina pectoris
An accumulation and hardening of plaque in the coronary arteries is:
cad
Cardiac tissue death that occurs when a coronary artery is occluded is:
mi
A mass of fat or lipids on the wall of an artery is a(n):
atheroma
A progressive disorder of the ventricles of the heart is:
cardiomyopathy
Inflammation of the lining of the heart and its valves is:
endocarditis
Inability of the heart muscle to pump blood efficiently, so that it becomes overloaded, is:
chf (congestive heart failure)
The term for localized dilation of an artery caused by congenital or acquired weakness in the wall of
the vessel is:
aneurysm
Cramplike pains in the calves caused by poor circulation in the leg muscles are:
claudication
Varicose veins that appear at the end of the esophagus are:
esophageal varices
A disease in which the arterial walls become thickened and lose their elasticity, but atheromas are
not present, is:
arteriosclerosis
Hardening of the arteries and the presence of atheromas are:
atherosclerosis
Inflammation of either deep or superficial veins, leading to formation of one or more blood clots, is:
thrombophlebitis
High blood pressure as a result of no identifiable cause is:
essential
varicose condition of the external or internal rectal veins is:
hemorrhoids
A unilateral circulatory disease secondary to rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, or trauma is:
Raynaud phenomenon
An idiopathic disease of the peripheral vascular system, causing intermittent cyanosis and/or erythema of the distal ends of the fingers and/or toes, is:
Raynaud disease
The type of hypertension caused by another disease is:
secondary
What is the procedure in which ultrasonic waves are directed through the heart to study its structure and motion?
echocardiography
The use of radionuclides to diagnose CAD, valvular or congenital heart disease, and cardiomyopathy is:
myocardial perfusion imaging
A computerized nuclear medicine procedure that uses inhaled or injected radioactive substances to help identify how much a patient will benefit from revascularization procedures is:
positron emission tomography
Threading a thin tube into the heart to collect diagnostic information about cardiac structures, coronary arteries, and great vessels is a(n):
cardiac catheterization
A blood test to measure cholesterol and triglycerides in the circulating blood is a(n):
lipid profile
A blood test to measure the amount of LDH and CPK in the blood is a(n):
cardiac enzymes test
The use of a cardiopulmonary machine to do the work of the heart during an open-heart procedure is:
ECC
What is a mechanical pump device that assists a patient’s weakened heart?
LVAD
What is an external or implantable device that provides an electronic shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm?
cardiac defibrillator
What is a small, battery-operated device that helps the heart beat in a regular rhythm?
cardiac pacemaker
Open-heart surgery in which a piece of a blood vessel from another location is grafted onto one of the coronary arteries to reroute blood around a blockage is:
cabg (coronary artery bypass grafting)
What is a surgical procedure in which a catheter is threaded into the coronary artery affected by
atherosclerotic heart disease, and then the balloon at the tip of the catheter is inflated and deflated to expand the lumen of the artery?
ptca (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty)
What is a surgical procedure in which the heart is still beating while a minimal incision is made over the coronary artery with a blockage, and an artery from the chest wall is used as the bypass?
midcab
What is a procedure using a laser to make a series of holes in the heart tissue in the hope of
increasing blood flow by stimulating new blood vessels to grow?
tmr (transmyocardial laser revascularization)
Destruction of abnormal cardiac electrical pathways causing arrhythmias is:
radiofrequency catheter ablation
A procedure to treat cardiac tamponade by aspirating fluid from the pericardium is:
pericardiocentesis
Surgical repair of a valve is:
valvuloplasty
Removal of hemorrhoids is:
hemorrhoidectomy
Injection of a chemical solution into varicosities to cause inflammation and destruction of the lining of the veins so that blood flow is rerouted through adjoining vessels is:
sclerotherapy
What is the name for drugs that lessen myocardial oxygen demand by slowing the flow of calcium to smooth muscle cells, causing arterial relaxation?
CCBS (calcium-channel blockers)
What are drugs that reduce the level of LDLs in the blood?
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
Drugs that relax blood vessels by preventing the formation of a vasoconstrictor are:
ACE inhibitors
Which drugs help the body form and excrete urine and are used in the treatment of hypertension and
congestive heart failure?
diuretics
Inflammation and clot formation in a superficial vein is called:
svt (superficial vein thrombosis)
Which type of medication acts on plasminogen, causing clots to disintegrate?
thrombolytics
What drugs relax blood vessels and reduce myocardial oxygen consumption to lessen the pain of
angina pectoris?
nitrates
Which procedure stops the heart while surgery is accomplished through small incisions in the chest?
PACAB
Stimulation of the growth of new vessels is:
angiogenesis
The abbreviation for a medication that inhibits the flow of calcium to smooth muscle of the heart.
CCB
Narrowing of the aortic valve is called:
aortic stenosis
Backflow of blood from the left ventricle to the left atrium is called:
mitral regurgitation
Incomplete electrical conduction in the bundle branches is called:
bundle branch block
Any abnormality of the sinus node is called:
sick sinus syndrome
Inflammation of the blood vessels is called:
vasculitis
Below-normal blood pressure is called:
hypotension
Inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart is called:
pericarditis
Elongated, dilated, superficial veins with incompetent valves are:
varicose veins
A vascular disorder limited to the extremities is called:
peripheral vascular disease
Blockage of blood flow to the extremities is called:
peripheral arterial occlusion
Low blood pressure upon rising to a standing position is called:
orthostatic hypotension
What is the term for heartbeats that occur outside the normal rhythm?
ectopic beats
What is the term for a benign growth in the interatrial septum?
atrial myxoma
What is the term for a noncancerous tumor of the blood vessels?
hemangioma
A rare heart cancer originating in the left atrium is:
cardiac myxosarcoma
A rare cancer of the cells that line the blood vessels is:
hemangiosarcoma
The term for heart pain is:
cardiodynia
Difficult and/or painful breathing is called:
dyspnea
Abnormal accumulation of fluid in interstitial spaces of tissues is called:
edema
Another term for vomit is:
emesis
The sensation or urge to vomit is called:
nausea
An excessive amount of blood in vessels of the lungs is called:
pulmonary congestion
A rapid heartbeat is called:
tachycardia
The condition of enlarged or swollen veins is called:
venous distension
A congenital anomaly that consists of four defects is called:
tetralogy of Fallot.
Narrowing of the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle is called:
mitral stenosis
Protrusion of one or both cusps of the mitral valve back into the left atrium is called:
mitral valve prolapse
The condition in which a person must sit or stand to breathe comfortably is called:
orthopnea
Narrowing of the valve between the right atrium and right ventricle is called:
tricuspid stenosis
Extremely rapid and irregular heart contractions are called:
fibrillation
An extremely rapid but regular heartbeat is called:
flutter
Inflammation and the formation of a clot in a deep vein is called:
dvt (deep vein thrombosis)
