Test 3 Flashcards
Acute coronary syndrome
A constellation of signs and symptoms due to the rupture of atherosclerotic plaque and resultant partial or complete thrombosis within a diseased coronary artery
Afterload
The amount of resistance to ejection of blood from the ventricle
Apical impulse
Impulse normally palpated at the fifth intercostal space left midclavicular line caused by contraction of the left ventricle synonym point of maximal impulse
Atrioventricular node AV
Secondary pacemaker of the heart, located in the right, atrial wall near the tricuspid valve
Bororecepters
Nerve fibers located in the aortic arch and carotid arteries that are responsible for control of blood pressure
Cardiac catheterization
An invasive procedure used to measure cardiac chamber pressures, and assess patency of the coronary arteries
Cardiac conduction system
Specialized heart cells, strategically located throughout the heart that are responsible for methodically generating and coordinating the transmission of electrical impulses to the myocardial cells
Cardiac output
Amount of blood pumped by each ventricle and liters per minute
Cardiac stress test
A test used to evaluate the functioning of the heart during a period of increased oxygen demand; test may be initiated by exercise or medication’s
Contractility 
Ability of the cardiac muscle to shorten in response to an electrical impulse
Depolarization
Electrical activation of a cell caused by the influx of sodium into the cell while Potassium exits the cell.
Diastole
. A ventricular relaxation resulting in ventricular filling. 
Ejection fraction
Percentage of the end diastolic blood volume ejected from the ventricle with each heartbeat
Hemodynamic monitoring
The use of pressure monitoring devices to directly measure the cardiovascular function
Hypertension
Blood pressure that is persistently greater than 130/1,80 mmHg
Hypotension
A decrease in blood pressure to less than 90/ 60 mmHg that compromises systemic perfusion
Murmurs
Sounds created by abnormal, turbulent flow of blood in the heart
Myocardial ischemia
Condition in which heart muscle cells receive less oxygen than needed
Myocardium
Muscle layer of the heart responsible for the pumping action of the heart
Normal heart sounds
Sounds produced when the valves close; normal heart sounds are S1 (Atrioventricular valves ) and S2 (Semilunar valve)
Opening snaps
Abnormal diastolic sounds generated during opening of rigid, atrioventricular valve leaflets
Orthostatic hypotension
A significant drop in blood pressure (20 mmHg systolic or more than 10 mmHg diastolic or more ) After an upright posture is assumed 
Preload 
Degree of stretch of the cardiac muscle fibers at the end of diastole 
Pulmonary vascular resistance
Resistance to blood flow out of the right ventricle, created by the pulmonary circulatory system
Pulse deficit
The difference between the apical and radial pulse rate
Radio isotopes
Unstable atoms that give off small amounts of energy in the form of gamma rays as they decay; used in cardiac nuclear medicine studies
Repolarization
Return of the cell to resting state, caused by reentry of potassium into the cell while sodium exits, the cell
S1
The first heart sound produced by closure of the atrioventricular (Mitral and tricuspid ) Valves 
S2
The second heart sound produced by the closure of the semi lunar (Aortic and pulmonic) valves
S3
An abnormal heart sound detected, early in diastole as resistance is met to blood entering, either ventricle; most often due to volume overload associated with heart failure
S4
An abnormal heart sound detected, late in diastole as resistance is met to blood, entering, either ventricle during atrial contraction; most often caused by hyper trophy of the ventricle
Sino atrial node SA
Primary pacemaker of the heart, located in the right atrium
Stroke, volume
Amount of blood ejected from one of the ventricles per heartbeat
Summation gallop
Abnormal sound created by the presence of an S3 and S4 during periods of tachycardia
Systematic vascular resistance
Resistance to blood flow out of the left ventricle, created by the systemic circulatory system
Systole
Period of ventricular contraction resulting in ejection of blood from the ventricles in the pulmonary artery and aorta
Systolic click
Abnormal systolic sound created by the opening of a calcified, aortic or polemic valve during ventricular contraction
Telemetry 
The process of continuous electrocardiographic monitoring by the transmission of radio waves from a battery operated transmitter worn by the patient
Ablation
Purposeful destruction of heart muscle cells, usually in an attempt to correct or eliminate an arrhythmia
Arrhythmia
Disorder of the formation or conduction ( or both ) Of the electrical impulse within the heart, altering the heart rate, heart rhythm, or both, and potentially causing, altered blood flow; also referred to as dysrhythmia 
Artifact
Distorted, irrelevant, and extraneous electrocardiographic ECG, wave forms
Automaticity
Ability of the cardiac cells to initiate an electrical impulse
Cardiac resynchronization therapy, CRT
Biventricular pacing, used to correct interventricular, intraventricular, and atrioventricular conduction disturbances that occur in patients with heart failure
Cardioversion
Electrical current given in synchrony with the patient’s own QRS complex to stop an arrhythmia
Chronotropy
The rate of impulse formation
Conduction
Transmission of electrical impulses from one cell to another
Defibrillation
Electrical current given to stop an arrhythmia, not synchronized with the patients QRS complex 
Depolarization
Process by which cardiac muscle cells change from a more negatively charged to more positively charged intracellular state
Dromotropy
Conduction velocity
Electrocardiogram ECG
A record of a test that graphically measures the electrical activity of the heart, including each phase of the cardiac cycle
Implantable, cardioverter, defibrillator,ICD
A device implanted into the chest wall to treat arrhythmias
Inotropy
Force of myocardial contraction
P-wave
The part of an ECG, that reflects conduction of an electrical impulse through the atrium; atrial depolarization
Paroxysmal
Arrhythmia that has a sudden onset and terminates spontaneously; usually of short duration, but may reoccur
PP interval 
The duration between the beginning of one P-wave, and the beginning of the next P-wave; used to calculate atrial rate and rhythm
PR interval
The part of an ECG, that reflects conduction of an electrical impulse from the sinoatrial node through the atrioventricular node
QRS complex
The part of an ECG, that reflects conduction of an electrical impulse through the ventricles; ventricular depolarization
QT interval
The part of an ECG, that reflects the time from ventricular depolarization through repolarization
Repolarization
Process by which cardiac muscle cells return to a more negatively charged intracellular condition, their resting state
Sinus rhythm
Electrical activity of the heart initiated by the Sino atrial node
ST segment
The part of an ECG, that reflects the end of the QRS complex to the beginning of the T-wave
T wave
The part of an ECG that reflects the repolarization of the ventricles
TP interval
The part of an ECG that reflects the time between the end of the T wave in the beginning of the next P-wave; used to identify the isoelectric line
U wave
The part of an ECG that may reflect Purkinje fibers repolarization. Usually, it is not seen unless a patients serum. Potassium level is low