Ch. 17 Cardiovascular Emergencies Flashcards
Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)
A group of symptoms caused by myocardial ischemia; includes angina and myocardial infarction.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
A heart attack; death of heart muscle following obstruction of blood flow to it. “Acute” in this context means “new” or “happening right now.”
Angina pectoris
Transient (short-lived) chest discomfort causec by partial or temporary blockage of bloodd flow to the heart muscle; also called angina.
Anterior
The front surface of the body; the side facing you in the standard anatomic position.
Aorta
The main artery, which receives blood from the left bentricle and delivers it to all the other arteries that carry blood to the tissues of the body.
Aortic aneurism
A weakness in the wall of the aorta that makes it susceptible to rupture.
Aortic valve
The one-way valve that lies between the left ventricle and the aorta and keeps blood from flowing back into the left ventricle after the left ventricle ejects blood into the arota; on of the four heart valves.
Artifact
A tracing on an ECG that is the result of interference, such as patient movement, rather than the heart’s electrical activity.
Asystole
The complete absence of all heart electrical activity.
Atherosclerosis
A disorder in which cholesterol and calcium build up inside the walls of blood vessels, eventually leading to partial or complete blockage of blood flow.
Atrium
One of the two upper chamberss of the heart.
Automaticity
The ability of cardiac muscle cells to contract without stimulation from the nervous system.
Autonomic nervous system
The part of the nervous system that controls the involuntary activities of the body such as the heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion of food.
Bradycardia
A slow heart rate, less than 60 beats/min.
Cardiac arrest
When the heart fails to generate effective and detectable blood flow; pulsess are not palpable in cardiac arrest, even if muscular and electrical activity continues in the heart.
Cardiac output
A measure of the volume of blood circulated by the heart in one minute, calculated by multiplying the stroke volume by the heart rate.
SV X HR = CO
Cardiogenic shock
A state in which not enough oxygen is delivered to the tissues of the body, caused by low output of blood from the heart. It can be a severe complication of a large acute myocardial infarction, as well as other conditions.
Congestive heart failure (CHF)
A disordere in which the heart loses part of its ability to effectively pump blood, usually as a result of damage to the heart muscle and usually resulting in a backup of fluid into the lungs.
Coronary arteries
The blood vessels that carry blood and nutrients to the heart muscle.
Defibrillate
To shock a fibrillating (chaotically shaking) heart with specialized electrical current in an attempt to restore a normal, rhythmic beat.
Dependent edema
Swelling in the part of the body closest to the ground, caused by collection of fluid in the tissues; a possible sign of congestive heart failure.
Dilation
Widening of a tubular structure such as a coronary artery
Dissecting aneurysm
A condition in which the inner layers of an artery, such as the aorta, become separated, allowing blood (at high pressures) to flow between the layers.
Dysrhythmia
An irregular or abnormal heart rhythm.
Hypertensive emergency
An emergency situation created by excessively high blood pressure, which can lead to serious complications such as stroke or aneurysm.
Infarction
Death of a body tissue, isially caused by interruption of its blood supply.
Inferior
Below a body part or nearer the feet.
Ischemia
A lack of oxygen that deprives tissues of necessary nutrients, resulting from partial or complete blockage of blood flow; potentially reversible because permanent injury has not yet occurred.
Lumen
The inside diameter of an artery or other hollow structure.
Myocardium
The heart muscle.
Occlusion
A blockage, usually of a tubular structure such as a blood vessel.
Parasympathetic nervous system
The part of the autonomic nervous system that controls vegetative functions such as digestion of food and relaxation. (Also known as the rest-and-digest system.)
Perfusion
The circulation of oxygenated blood within an organ tissue in adequate amounts to meet the cells’ current needs.
Posterior
The back surface of the body; the side away from you in the standard anatomical position.
Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC)
The return of a pulse and effective flood flow to the body in a patient who previously was in cardiac arrest.
Stroke volume
The volume of blood ejected with each ventricular contraction.
Superior
Above a body part or nearer to the head.
Sympathetic nervous system.
The part of the autonomic nervous system that controls active functions such as responding to fear (Also known as the fight-or-flight system.)
Syncope
A fainting spell or transient loss of consciousness.
Tachycardia
A rapid heart rate, more thatn 100 beats/min.
Thromboembolism
A blood clot that has formed within a blood vessel and is floating within the bloodstream.
Ventricle
One of the two lower chambers of the heart.
Ventricular fibrillation
Disorganized, ineffective quivering of the ventricles, resulting in no blood flow and a state of cardiac arrest.
Ventricular tachycardia
A rapid heart rhythm in which the electical impulse begins in the ventricle (instead of the atria), which may result in inadequate blood flow and eventually deteriorate into cardiac arrest.
