Helpful medical terms/meanings

Question 1

Cardiomyopathy

Answer 1

Cardiomyopathy (kahr-dee-o-my-OP-uh-thee) is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure. The main types of cardiomyopathy include dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Question 2

Hypertrophic

Answer 2

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease in which the heart muscle (myocardium) becomes abnormally thick (hypertrophied). The thickened heart muscle can make it harder for the heart to pump blood. (Thickened like weight lifting)

Question 3

Stenosis

Answer 3

Stenosis: A narrowing. For example, aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve in the heart.

Question 4

Patent

Answer 4

Patent (adjective): Open, unobstructed, affording free passage. Thus, for example, the bowel may be patent (as opposed to obstructed). Pronounced “pa-tent” with the accent on the first syllable.

Question 5

efficacious

Answer 5

capable of having the desired result or effect; effective as a means, measure, remedy, etc.:
The medicine is efficacious in stopping a cough.

Question 6

Venting or no in retrograde cardioplegia?

Answer 6

During retrograde administration, aortic venting seems important; however, the coronary venous system appears to provide adequate collateral outflow in the absence of suction venting. (Hence why some surgeons want it off)

Question 7

Location of thesbian valve?

Answer 7

The valve of the coronary sinus (Thebesian valve) is a semicircular fold of the lining membrane of the right atrium, at the orifice of the coronary sinus. It is situated at the base of the inferior vena cava. The valve may vary in size, or be completely absent. It may prevent the regurge of blood into the sinus during contraction of the atrium.

Question 8

Why use antegrade vs retrograde? or both?

Answer 8

The combined antegradelretrograde approach has be- come increasingly popular. As shown in Figure 6, the initial dosage is administered through the aortic root to produce rapid arrest, and the retrograde cardioplegia is administered to maintain myocardial protection. Both warm and cold solutions may be administered intermit- tently or continuously using this approach. Usually, quick arrest is established with antegrade cardioplegia and retrograde sinus infusions are used thereafter.