Chapter 14: Cardiovascular Emergencies Flashcards
A term used to describe a group of symptoms caused by myocardial ischemia; includes angina and myocardial infarction
acute coronary syndrome
A heart attack; death of heart muscle following obstruction of blood flow to it. Acute in this context means “new” or “happening right now”
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
Transient (short-lived) chest discomfort caused by partial or temporary blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle
angina pectoris
The front surface of the body; the side facing you in the standard anatomic position
anterior
The main artery, which receives blood from the left ventricle and delivers it to all the other arteries that carry blood to the tissues of the body
aorta
A weakness in the wall of the aorta that makes it susceptible to rupture
aortic aneurysm
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 its blood into the aorta; one of four heart valves
aortic valve
An irregular or abnormal heart rhythm
arrhythmia
The complete absence of heart electrical activity
asystole
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
atherosclerosis
One of two (right and left) upper chambers of the heart. The right one receives blood from the vena cava and delivers it to the right ventricle. The left one receives blood from pulmonary veins and delivers it to the left ventricle
atrium
The ability of cardiac muscle cells to contract without stimulation from the nervous system
automaticity
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
autonomic nervous system
A slow heart rate, less than 60 beats/min
bradycardia
A state in which the heart fails to generate effective and detectable blood flow; pulses are not palpable, even if muscular and electrical activity continues in the heart
cardiac arrest
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
cardiogenic shock
A measure of the volume of blood circulated by the heart in one minute, calculated by multiplying the stroke volume by the heart rate
cardiac output
A disorder 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
congestive heart failure (CHF)
The blood vessels that carry blood and nutrients to the heart muscle
coronary arteries
to shock a fibrillating (chaotically beating) heart with a specialized electrical current in an attempt to restore a normal, rhythmic beat
defibrillate
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
dependent edema
Widening of a tubular structure such as a coronary artery
dilation
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
dissecting aneurysm
An emergency situation created by excessively high blood pressure, which can lead to serious complications such as stroke or aneurysm
hypertensive emergency
death of a body tissue, usually caused by interruption of its blood supply
infarction
The part of the body or any body part nearer to the feet
inferior
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.
ischemia
The inside diameter of an artery or other hollow structure
lumen
The heart muscle
myocardium
A blockage, usually of a tubular structure such as a blood vessel
occlusion
The part of the autonomic nervous system that controls vegetative functions such as digestion of food and relaxation
parasympathetic nervous system
The flow of blood through body tissues and vessels
perfusion
The back surface of the body; the side away from you in the standard anatomic position
posterior
The volume of blood ejected with each ventricular contraction
stroke volume
The part of the body or any body part nearer to the head
superior
The part of the autonomic nervous system that controls active functions such as responding to fear (also known as the “fight-or-flight” system)
sympathetic nervous system
A fainting spell or transient loss of consciousness
syncope
A rapid heart rate, more than 100 beats/min
tachycardia
A blood clot that has formed within a blood vessel and is floating within the bloodstream
thromboembolism
One of two (right and left) lower chambers of the heart. the left one receives blood from the left atrium and delivers blood to the aorta. The right one receives blood from the right atrium and pumps it into the pulmonary artery
ventricle
Disorganized, ineffective twitching of the ventricles, resulting in no blood flow and a state of cardiac arrest
ventricular fibrillation
A rapid heart rhythm in which the electrical impulse begins in the ventricle (instead of the atrium), which may result in inadequate blood flow and eventually deteriorate into cardiac arrest.
ventricular tachycardia
