Chapter 20: The Heart Flashcards
Artificial Pacemaker
A small, battery-operated device that keeps one’s heart beating in a rhythm. It may be permanently implanted or temporarily placed externally.
Asystole
The absence of cardiac activity with no contraction and no output.
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
A device that, when applied, automatically checks the function of the heart. Upon detecting a condition that may respond to an electric shock, it delivers a shock to restore normal heartbeat rhythm.
Automatic Implanted Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD)
A surgically implanted battery-operated device that monitors the function of the heart. Upon detecting a condition that may respond to an electric shock, such as disorganized heartbeat, the device delivers a shock to restore normal heartbeat rhythm.
Cardiac Arrest
Sudden stopping of the pumping action of the heart causing the loss of arterial blood pressure.
Cardiology
The branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of heart disorders and related conditions.
Cardiomegaly
An enlarged heart, which is a sign of some other condition such as stress, weakening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease (CAD), heart valve problems, or abnormal heart rhythms.
Cardiomyoplasty
A surgical procedure that uses stimulated latissimus dorsi muscle to assist with cardiac functions. The latissimus dorsi muscle is relocated and wrapped around the left and right ventricles and stimulated to contract during cardiac systole by means of an implanted burst-stimulator.
Commotio Cordis
Sudden cardiac arrest as the result of a blunt hit or impact to the chest.
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
The heart condition of weakness, edema, and shortness of breath caused by the inability of the heart to maintain adequate blood circulation in the peripheral tissues and the lungs.
Cor Pulmonale
Weakness of the right ventricle of the heart due to prolonged high blood pressure in the pulmonary artery and right ventricle; or any disease or malfunction that affects the pulmonary circuit in the lungs.
Echocardiography
A noninvasive diagnostic test that uses ultrasound to make images of the heart chambers, valves, and surrounding structures. This diagnostic tool can also measure cardiac output, detect inflammation around the heart, identify abnormal anatomy, and dtect infections of the heart valves.
Endocarditis
Inflammation or infection of the endocardium, the inner lining of the heart muscle.
Fibrillation
Fast twitching of the heart muscle fibers with little or no movement of the muscle as a whole. Atrial fibrillation occurs in the atria of the heart and is characterized by chaotic quivers and irregular ventricular beating with both atria and ventricles being out of sync.
Heart Block
Delay in the normal electrical pulses that cause the heart to beat.
Mitral Valve Prolapse
A condition in which the mitral (bicuspid) valve cusps do not close properly and are pushed back toward the left atrium.
Myocarditis
Inflammation of the myocardium, the middle layer of the heart wall tissue.
Palpitation
Irregular and rapid beating of the heart.
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA)
The surgical use of a balloon-tipped catheter to enlarge a narrowed artery.
Sick Sinus Syndrome
A group of heart rhythm disorders or problems in which the sinoatrial node does not work properly to regulate the heart rhythms.
Aortic Sinus
Space between the superior portion of each of the three aortic valve cusps and the dilated portion of the wall of the ascending aorta.
Atrioventricular (AV) Bundle
Specialized conducting cells in the interventricular septum that carry the contracting stimulus from the AV node to bundle branches and then to Purkinje fibers; also called bundle of His.