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medical terminology > unit 6 (cardiovascular system) - medical vocabulary > Flashcards

unit 6 (cardiovascular system) - medical vocabulary Flashcards

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USMLE® Step 1 flashcards
1
Q

aneurysm

A

localized, balloon-like dilation of a blood vessel, usually an artery

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2
Q

angina

A

condition characterized by severe, constricting pain or pressure in the chest; also known as angina pectoris

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3
Q

angiogram

A

a radiograph test that uses a contrast agent (dye) and a camera to take pictures of the blood

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4
Q

angiotensin-converting (ACE) inhibitor

A

medication that keeps the body from making angiotensin II, a hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict

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5
Q

antianginal

A

medication used to prevent or alleviate angina

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6
Q

antiarrhythmic

A

an agent used to alleviate or prevent cardiac arrhythmia

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7
Q

anticoagulant

A

an agent used to prevent the formation of blood clots

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8
Q

antihypertensive

A

medication used to counteract high blood pressure

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9
Q

aorta

A

the largest artery of the human body

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10
Q

apex

A

the lowest part of the exterior of the heart

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11
Q

arrhythmia

A

irregular heartbeat

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12
Q

arteries

A

blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the organs, tissues, and cells of the body

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13
Q

arterioles

A

small arterial branches that lead to capillaries

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14
Q

arteriosclerosis

A

condition of thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity in the arterial walls

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15
Q

atherosclerosis

A

condition of plaque buildup in the arteries

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16
Q

atrioventricular (AV) node

A

a small node of modified cardiac muscle fibers at the junction of the atria and ventricles

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17
Q

atrioventricular (AV) valves

A

valves located between the atrial and ventricular chambers in the right and left sides of the heart

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18
Q

auscultation

A

the use of a stethoscope to listen to the heart

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19
Q

beta blocker

A

a drug used to treat angina, hypertension, and heart rhythm disorders, as well as migraines, panic attacks, and tremors

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20
Q

bicuspid (mitral) valve

A

the left AV valve, which has two flaps

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21
Q

blood

A

the fluid and its suspended formed elements that are circulated through the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins

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22
Q

blood cells

A

cells of the blood; leukocytes or erythrocytes

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23
Q

blood pressure

A

the pressure exerted by the blood against the wall of an artery or vein

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24
Q

blood vessels

A

vessels that convey blood; includes arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins

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25
Q

bradycardia

A

slow heart rate

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26
Q

bundle branches

A

conducting fibers that continue to pass on the electrical impulse in the cardiac conduction system

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27
Q

bundle of His

A

a slender bundle of modified cardiac muscle that conducts electrical impulses from the AV node to the left and right bundle branches

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28
Q

calcium channel blocker

A

a drug used to dilate (widen) arteries and reduce blood pressure, making it easier for the heart to pump blood

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29
Q

capillaries

A

small, thin-walled blood vessels with semipermeable membranes to allow for gas exchange

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30
Q

cardiac catheterization

A

passage of a tiny plastic tube into the heart through a blood vessel, usually through the femoral artery in the leg; used to diagnose heart diseases or abnormalities

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31
Q

cardiac tamponade

A

pathological condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the pericardium

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32
Q

cardiologist

A

a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases and conditions

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33
Q

cardiomyopathy

A

condition of diseased heart muscle

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34
Q

cardiopulmonary

A

the term for the functional interrelationship between the heart and the lungs

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35
Q

cardiovascular system

A

body system that circulates oxygen-rich blood throughout the body; also known as the circulatory system

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36
Q

cardiovascular technologist

A

a healthcare worker who provides assistance to doctors in diagnosing and treating heart diseases and conditions

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37
Q

cardioversion

A

a procedure in which controlled electrical shocks are sent through the heart to restore normal cardiac rhythm in a patient with arrhythmia

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38
Q

congestive heart failure (CHF)

A

disease resulting from reduced blood flow from the heart; characterized by weakness, breathlessness, abdominal discomfort, and edema in the lower extremities

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39
Q

coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)

A

a passageway, established surgically, that allows blood to travel from the aorta to a branch of the coronary artery at a point beyond an obstruction

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40
Q

coronary artery disease (CAD)

A

narrowing of the coronary arteries, resulting in an insufficient blood supply to the heart

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41
Q

cyanosis

A

bluish or purplish discoloration of the skin, caused by decreased circulation of oxygen-rich blood

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42
Q

defibrillation

A

a procedure used to stop atrial or ventricular fibrillation by means of drugs or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) surgically placed in the chest or abdomen

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43
Q

diastole

A

relaxation of the ventricles

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44
Q

diastolic pressure

A

a measurement of blood pressure between heartbeats, when the heart is “resting” between contractions

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45
Q

diuretic

A

medication that helps reduce excess water in the body

46
Q

Doppler sonography (Doppler ultrasound)

A

procedure in which blood flow and blood pressure are measured using ultrasound technology (high-frequency sound waves); sound waves are “bounced” off red blood cells as they circulate through the blood vessels

47
Q

echocardiogram/multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan

A

a noninvasive diagnostic method that uses ultrasound to visualize internal cardiac structures

48
Q

electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

A

a record of the electrical activity of the heart

49
Q

embolus

A

mass of solid, liquid, or gas that travels through the bloodstream, causing obstruction of a blood vessel

50
Q

endarterectomy

A

a surgical procedure in which plaque is removed from the lining of an artery

51
Q

endocarditis

A

inflammation of the inner layer of the heart muscle

52
Q

endocardium

A

the innermost layer of the heart that lines the four chambers and covers the valves of the heart

53
Q

epicardium

A

a thin, watery layer that forms the innermost layer of the pericardium

54
Q

exercise stress test

A

a method of evaluating a patient’s cardiovascular fitness during exercise, usually on a treadmill; monitors oxygen consumption and electrical activity of the heart

55
Q

fibrillation

A

rapid, spontaneous contractions of the muscle fibers in the atria or ventricles; atrial fibrillation or ventricular fibrillation

56
Q

flutter

A

condition in which the atria beat more rapidly than the ventricles, causing a quivering movement in the atria; also known as atrial flutter

57
Q

heart

A

a hollow, muscular, contractile organ located in the chest cavity

58
Q

heart murmur

A

abnormal sound heard during auscultation of the heart, such as a whooshing sound created by a valve not completely closing

59
Q

heart transplantation

A

the grafting of a living heart to a patient, from a donor who was clinically brain-dead but on life support

60
Q

Holter monitor

A

a machine that continuously record cardiac rhythms; often worn for 24-48 hours to assist with diagnosing an arrhythmia condition

61
Q

hypertension

A

condition of higher-than-normal blood pressure

62
Q

hypolipidemic

A

medication used to reduce lipid concentrations in the blood serum (blood plasma without clotting factors)

63
Q

hypotension

A

condition of lower-than-normal blood pressure

64
Q

inferior vena cava

A

a blood vessel that receives blood from the abdominopelvic organs and the lower extremities and empties the blood into the right atrium

65
Q

left atrium

A

the atrium of the left side of the heart

66
Q

left ventricle

A

the lower chamber on the left side of the heart

67
Q

lungs

A

organs that coordinate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide during the act of breathing

68
Q

mitral valve prolapse

A

condition in which the mitral valve between the left atrium (left upper chamber) and the left ventricle (left lower chamber) doesn’t close properly; may cause blood leakage back into the left atrium

69
Q

myocardial infarction (MI)

A

tissue death in the heart muscle resulting from an obstructed coronary artery; heart attack

70
Q

myocarditis

A

inflammation of the myocardium

71
Q

myocardium

A

a layer of cardiac muscle that makes up the middle of the heart

72
Q

nodal system

A

a system responsible for electrical current conduction in the heart

73
Q

nuclear thallium stress test

A

a procedure in which a radioactive substance is injected into a vein near the end of a stress test to aid in identifying the sizes of the heart chambers, how well the heart is pumping blood, and whether the heart has any damaged or dead tissue

74
Q

nuclear ventriculography

A

noninvasive procedure in which a radioactive substance called a tracer is injected into a patient to produce images of the left or right ventricle of the heart to measure the volume of blood pumped by the ventricle(s)

75
Q

pacemaker

A

an electrical device that is implanted in the chest or abdomen to control abdominal cardiac rhythms through a series of electrical discharges

76
Q

percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)

A

a minimally invasive procedure for opening up blocked coronary arteries, allowing blood to circulate obstructed to the heart muscle

77
Q

pericardial cavity

A

the space between the pericardium and the epicardium

78
Q

pericarditis

A

inflammation of the pericardium

79
Q

pericardium

A

the sac surrounding the heart

80
Q

peripheral artery disease (PAD)

A

disease in which narrowing of the arteries results in decreased blood flow to the extremities, causing intermittent calf pain, called claudication, during walking or exercise

81
Q

positron emission tomography (PET)

A

an imaging test that uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to look for disease or poor blood flow in the heart; helpful for diagnosing heart damage or scar tissue

82
Q

premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)

A

extra, abnormal heartbeats that disrupt the regular ventricular rhythm of the heart

83
Q

pulmonary arteries

A

blood vessels that derive from the pulmonary trunk and which enter the corresponding lungs

84
Q

pulmonary circulation

A

the process by which blood is pumped from the heart to the lungs and then back to the heart

85
Q

pulmonary trunk

A

blood vessel that originates from the right ventricle of the heart and divides into the right and left pulmonary trunks

86
Q

pulse

A

the rhythmic throbbing generated by contractions of the heart; detected over the major arteries of the body

87
Q

Purkinje fibers

A

fibers in the impulse-conducting network of the heart that rapidly transmit impulses through the ventricles

88
Q

right atrium

A

the atrium of the right side of the heart

89
Q

right ventricle

A

the lower chamber on the right side of the heart

90
Q

semilunar valves

A

two valves that each have a set of three crescent-shaped flaps; the pulmonary semilunar valve and the aortic semilunar valve

91
Q

septum

A

a structure in the heart that divides the organ into the right heart and the left heart, creating a double pump

92
Q

shock

A

clinical syndrome in which peripheral blood flow is insufficient to return blood to the heart for normal function

93
Q

sinoatrial (SA) node

A

the mass of specialized cardiac muscle fibers that acts as the “pacemaker” of the heart

94
Q

sphygmomanometer

A

an instrument used to measure blood pressure

95
Q

stress test

A

a procedure that tests how efficiently the heart pumps blood

96
Q

superior vena cava

A

a blood vessel that receives blood from the head, chest, and upper extremities and empties the blood into the right atrium of the heart

97
Q

systemic circulation

A

the process by which the heart pumps blood to all parts and systems of the body

98
Q

systole

A

contraction of the ventricles

99
Q

systolic pressure

A

a measurement of blood pressure while the heart ventricles are contracting

100
Q

tachycardia

A

fast heart rate

101
Q

telemetry nurse

A

a healthcare worker who monitors patients’ heart rhythm using sophisticated equipment and works with physicians to develop treatment plans for patients in the telemetry unit

102
Q

thrombolytic

A

medications that help dissolve blood clots

103
Q

thrombophlebitis

A

inflammation of a vein caused by the formation of a thrombus (clot)

104
Q

thrombus

A

a blood clot that forms on the wall of a blood vessel and stays attached to the site in which it developed

105
Q

tricuspid valve

A

the right AV valve, which has 3 flaps

106
Q

varicose veins

A

enlarged, twisted, superficial veins, most commonly seen in the lower extremities

107
Q

vasoconstrictor

A

an agent that constricts (narrows) blood vessels, increasing blood pressure

108
Q

vasodilator

A

an agent stimulates dilation (dilation or widening) of blood vessels

109
Q

veins

A

blood vessels that carry oxygen-poor blood to the heart

110
Q

venules

A

tiny blood vessels that merge with the veins

medical terminology (27 decks)

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