ICU/CCU Vocabulary

Question 1

Blood Gases

Answer 1

A blood test to check the level of oxygen, carbon dioxide and acidity which may be done several times day.

Question 2

Carbon Dioxide

Answer 2

This is the waste gas eliminated by the lungs.

Question 3

Catheter

Answer 3

Tubing used to empty a patient’s bladder.

Question 4

CCU/ICU/ITU

Answer 4

Intensive Care Units can be referred to by various names which mean the same thing, for example, Critical Care Unit, Intensive Care Unit, or Intensive Therapy.
The unit cares patients with acute illness or injury that require specialized procedures and treatments by specialized staff.

Question 5

Central Line

Answer 5

A line is inserted into the patient in order for liquids/drugs to be passed into their veins.

Question 6

Critical Care Team

Answer 6

A team of health professionals who care for critically ill and injured patients. It includes predominantly a critical care intensivist and a critical care nurse but may also include physiotherapists, pharmacists, technicians, social workers and clergy.

Question 7

Endotracheal Tube

Answer 7

This tube is inserted through either the patient’s nose or throat into the windpipe and is sometimes referred to as an ET tube.

Question 8

Intensivist

Answer 8

A critical care physician whose medical practice is focused entirely on the care of critically ill and injured patients.

Question 9

Pulse Oximeter

Answer 9

A probe that wraps around a hand or foot, connected to a machine, which measures how much oxygen the blood is carrying.

Question 10

Suction

Answer 10

Mechanical removal of mucous from the nose, throat, or endotracheal tube with a plastic tube.

Question 11

Tracheostomy

Answer 11

A tracheostomy is a tube inserted into the windpipe via a hole in the patient’s throat. This sounds very daunting and can look strange, but it is much more comfortable for the patient and means they can be awake.

Question 12

Ventilator

Answer 12

Also known as a breathing machine, this piece of equipment blows air and oxygen in and of the lungs. The breathing machine can do all the breathing for the patient or it can assist the patient’s own breathing.

Question 13

Weaning

Answer 13

Process of taking a patient off the ventilator once they are able to breathe on their own.

Question 14

Aortic

Answer 14

Relating to the aorta, which is the major vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the body. Sometimes this term is used to denote the aortic valve, which is the valve that prevents back flow of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle (ex. aortic stenosis).

Question 15

Artery

Answer 15

A vessel that carries blood away from the heart. Arteries generally carry oxygenated blood. Pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs.

Question 16

Atrium

Answer 16

The chamber of the heart that collects blood returning from the rest of the body. Right atrium collects oxygenated blood from the body and passes it to the right ventricle. The left atrium collects oxygenated blood from the lungs and passes it to the left ventricle.

Question 17

Coronary

Answer 17

Relating to the heart, or to one of the two arteries that originate in the aorta and supply blood directly to heart tissue.

Question 18

Mitral Valve

Answer 18

Valve that separates the left atrium and left ventricle and prevents back flow from the ventricle to the atrium.
Derived from miter, which it resembles.

Question 19

Pulmonary

Answer 19

Relating to the lungs. Sometimes the term is used to denote the pulmonary valve, which is the valve that prevents back flow of blood from the pulmonary artery into the right ventricle (ex. pulmonary reguritation).

Question 20

Tricuspid Valve

Answer 20

Valve that separates the right atrium and the right ventricle and prevents back-flow from the ventricle to the atrium. It is composed of three leaf like parts.

Question 21

Vein

Answer 21

A vessel that carries blood toward the heart.

Question 22

Ventricle

Answer 22

The chamber of the heart that is responsible for pumping blood out to the rest of the body. In mammals and birds, there are two ventricles, left and right. The right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs via the pulmonary artery; the left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the body via the aorta.

Question 23

Angina Pectoris

Answer 23

Chest pain caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle.

Question 24

Arrhythmia

Answer 24

Irregular Heartbeat

Question 25

Atherosclerosis

Answer 25

An accumulation of fat-containing deposits on arterial walls.

Question 26

Bradycardia

Answer 26

Excessively slow heartbeat.

Question 27

Diastolic Pressure

Answer 27

The minimum blood pressure, measured before the heart contracts. Usually the second number recorded in a blood pressure reading.

Question 28

Myocardial Infarction MI

Answer 28

Heart attack; it refers to changes that occur in the heart muscle (myocardium) due to the sudden deprivation of circulating blood.
The main change is necrosis (death) of myocardial tissue.

Question 29

Risk Factor

Answer 29

Something that increases a person’s chances of developing a disease.

Question 30

Systolic Pressure

Answer 30

The maximum blood pressure, measured after the heart contracts. Usually the first number recorded in a blood pressure reading.