Unit 12 Terminology

Question 1

ACE inhibitor

Answer 1

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors block an enzyme needed to form a substance that narrows blood vessels. As a result, blood vessels relax and widen, making it easier for blood to flow through the vessels, which reduces blood pressure. These medicines also increase the release of water and sodium to the urine, which also lowers blood pressure.

Question 2

Afterload

Answer 2

the force against which a ventricle contracts that is contributed to by the vascular resistance especially of the arteries and by the physical characteristics (as mass and viscosity) of the blood

Question 3

American Heart Association

Answer 3

non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Question 4

Angina pectoris

Answer 4

Stable angina is chest pain or discomfort that usually occurs with activity or stress. Angina is chest discomfort due to poor blood flow through the blood vessels in the heart.

Question 5

Anticoagulants

Answer 5

Anticoagulants are often called blood thinners. They help prevent blood clots from forming and growing and reduce your risk for heart attack, stroke and blockages in your arteries and veins. They cannot, however, break up blood clots that are already formed.

Question 6

Apical pulse

Answer 6

Draw a straight line from the left nipple to the fifth intercostal space to identify the area of the apical pulse. Place the diaphragm (flat part) of the stethoscope on this point and count the heart beat for 60 seconds. The heart beat consists of two distinct sounds, lub-dub. Each lub-dub counts as one heart beat.

Question 7

Arteriosclerosis

Answer 7

A thickening and hardening of arterial walls in the arteries. Arteriosclerosis is a general term describing any hardening (and loss of elasticity) of medium or large arteries. It should not be confused with atherosclerosis, which is a specific form of arteriosclerosis caused by the build up of fatty plaques and cholesterol in the artery.

Question 8

Atherosclerosis

Answer 8

A specific form of arteriosclerosis in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of calcium and fatty materials such as cholesterol and triglyceride. It reduces the elasticity of the artery walls and therefore allows less blood to travel through. This also increases blood pressure.

Question 9

Auscultation

Answer 9

Listening for sounds within the body.

Question 10

Auscultory gap

Answer 10

A period of diminished or absent Korotkoff sounds during the manual measurement of blood pressure. The improper interpretation of this gap may lead to blood pressure monitoring errors: namely, an underestimation of systolic blood pressure and/or an overestimation of diastolic blood pressure.

Question 11

Buerger’s Disease

Answer 11

Also called thromboangiitis obliterans, is a disease that causes blockages in the blood vessels of your feet and hands. The blood vessels become inflamed, which reduces blood flow. Blood clots that further clog blood vessels also develop. The disease causes pain and can lead to tissue damage and, in severe cases tissue death (gangrene).

Question 12

Cardiac output

Answer 12

The amount of blood the heart pumps through the circulatory system in a minute. The amount of blood put out by the left ventricle of the heart in one contraction is called the stroke volume. The stroke volume and the heart rate determine the cardiac output. A normal adult has a cardiac output of 4.7 liters (5 quarts) of blood per minute.

cardiac output = heart rate x stroke volume (CO = HR x SV)

Question 13

Cholesterol

Answer 13

Fat-like substance found only in animal tissues; it is important for cell membrane structure, a precursor of steroid hormones, and a constituent of bile; high serum cholesterol levels are a risk factor in the development of atherosclerosis

Question 14

Contractility

Answer 14

Myocardial contractility represents the intrinsic ability of the heart/myocardium to contract.

Question 15

Chronic Heart Failure (CHF)

Answer 15

Heart failure, sometimes known as congestive heart failure (CHF), occurs when your heart muscle doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. Conditions such as narrowed arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease) or high blood pressure gradually leave your heart too weak or stiff to fill and pump efficiently.

Question 16

Congestive Heart Failure

Answer 16

heart failure in which the heart is unable to maintain an adequate circulation of blood in the bodily tissues or to pump out the venous blood returned to it by the veins

Question 17

Cyanosis

Answer 17

Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood. Associated with cold temperatures, heart failure, lung diseases, and smothering.

Question 18

Diastolic

Answer 18

Period of time when the heart refills with blood after systole (contraction). Ventricular diastole is the period during which the ventricles are relaxing, while atrial diastole is the period during which the atria are relaxing.

Question 19

DVT

Answer 19

Deep vein thrombosis, or deep venous thrombosis, (DVT) is the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) in a deep vein,[a] predominantly in the legs. Non-specific signs may include pain, swelling, redness, warmness, and engorged superficial veins.
Prevention options for at-risk individuals include early and frequent walking, calf exercises, anticoagulants, aspirin, graduated compression stockings, and intermittent pneumatic compression.

Question 20

Edema

Answer 20

come on seriously

Question 21

Electrocardiogram

Answer 21

an electric tracing of the electrical conductivity of the heart

Question 22

Embolus

Answer 22

an abnormal particle (as an air bubble) circulating in the blood

Question 23

Intermittent claudication

Answer 23

cramping pain and weakness in the legs and especially the calves on walking that disappears after rest and is usually associated with inadequate blood supply to the muscles

Question 24

ischemia

Answer 24

eficient supply of blood to a body part (as the heart or brain) that is due to obstruction of the inflow of arterial blood (as by the narrowing of arteries by spasm or disease)

Question 25

Preload

Answer 25

the stretched condition of the heart muscle at the end of diastole just before contraction

Question 26

Pulse Deficit

Answer 26

the difference between the apical and radial heart rate

Question 27

pulse pressure

Answer 27

difference between systolic and diastolic pressure

Question 28

Raynaud’s phenomenon

Answer 28

a vascular disorder that is marked by recurrent spasm of the capillaries and especially those of the fingers and toes upon exposure to cold, that is characterized by pallor, cyanosis, and redness in succession usually accompanied by pain, and that in severe cases progresses to local gangrene

Question 29

stroke volume

Answer 29

the volume of blood pumped from a ventricle of the heart in one beat

Question 30

Syncope

Answer 30

loss of consciousness resulting from insufficient blood flow to the brain

Question 31

thrombosis

Answer 31

the formation or presence of a blood clot within a blood vessel

Question 32

Valves

Answer 32

a bodily structure (as the mitral valve) that closes temporarily a passage or orifice or permits movement of fluid in one direction only. Heart has Tricuspid, bicuspid valves. Pulmonary and aortic valves.

Question 33

Venous status ulcers

Answer 33

are wounds that are thought to occur due to improper functioning of venous valves

Question 34

varicose vein

Answer 34

an abnormal swelling and tortuosity especially of a superficial vein of the legs