Medical Terminology: Cardiovascular System

Question 1

Aneurysm

Answer 1

sac formed by localized dilation of an artery or vein

Question 2

angina pectoris

Answer 2

pain in the chest caused by decreased supply of oxygen to the hear muscle

Question 3

aorta

Answer 3

large blood vessel leaving the heart which supplies oxygen-rich blood to all the bodily tissues

Question 4

aortic valve

Answer 4

located between the left ventricle and aorta

Question 5

arrhythmia

Answer 5

variation from the normal rhythm of the heartbeat

Question 6

arteriosclerosis

Answer 6

thickening and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls, slowing the flow of blood

Question 7

asystole

Answer 7

no heart beat

Question 8

atherosclerosis

Answer 8

form of arteriosclerosis in which fats are deposited on arterial walls

Question 9

atrioventricular node

Answer 9

located in the right atrium and responsible for coordinating the heart’s contractions through the ventricles

Question 10

atrium

Answer 10

upper chambers of heart muscle

Question 11

bradycardia

Answer 11

slowness of heartbeat, as evidenced by a pulse rate of less than 60

Question 12

cardiac arrest

Answer 12

heart function ceases

Question 13

cardiomyopathy

Answer 13

weakening of the heart muscle

Question 14

carditis

Answer 14

inflammation of the heart muscle

Question 15

cerebrovascular accident (stroke)

Answer 15

a sudden and acute vascular lesion of the brain caused by hemorrhage, embolism, thrombosis, or rupturing of blood vessels

Question 16

claudication

Answer 16

cramp like pains in the calves of the legs due to poor circulation

Question 17

heart failure

Answer 17

defective blood pumping system, marked by breathlessness and abnormal retention of sodium and water

Question 18

cusp

Answer 18

one of the small flaps on the valves of the heart

Question 19

diastole

Answer 19

resting phase of the heart beat

Question 20

dysrhythmia

Answer 20

abnormal rhythm

Question 21

embolism

Answer 21

the sudden blocking of an artery by an embolus

Question 22

embolus

Answer 22

a foreign object (air, fat, tissue, or blood clot) carried by the blood and forced into a smaller vessel, causing an obstruction in circulation

Question 23

endocardium

Answer 23

inner surface of the heart chambers

Question 24

epicardium

Answer 24

outermost layer of the heart

Question 25

fibrillation

Answer 25

small, local, involuntary muscular contraction caused by spontaneous activation of single muscle cells or muscle fibers.

Question 26

hypertension

Answer 26

persistent high blood pressure

Question 27

infarction

Answer 27

a localized area of ischemic necrosis owing to the occlusion of the arterial suply

Question 28

inferior vena cava

Answer 28

brings venous blood from the lower regions of the body to the right side of the heart

Question 29

ischemia

Answer 29

deficiency of blood flow to a part of the body

Question 30

lumen

Answer 30

the cavity of the channel within' any organ or structure; space within an artery, vein, intestine, etc

Question 31

malaise

Answer 31

genera vague feeling of body weakness or discomfort

Question 32

mediastinum

Answer 32

space in the chest between the lungs where the heart is located

Question 33

mitral valve

Answer 33

valve located between the left atrium and left ventricle, consisting of two leaflets

Question 34

mitral valve prolapse

Answer 34

extra clicking sound caused by failure of heart valves to close properly

Question 35

myocardial infarction

Answer 35

death of heart muscle due to absence of blood supply

Question 36

myocardium

Answer 36

middle, thickest layer of the heart wall, made of cardiac muscle

Question 37

occlusion

Answer 37

state of being closed

Question 38

orthopnea

Answer 38

person must sit up or stand up in order to breath comfortably

Question 39

papillary muscles

Answer 39

special muscles connected to the leaflets of the valves to all them to open in only one direction

Question 40

pericardium

Answer 40

exterior layer covering the heart

Question 41

phlebotomy

Answer 41

cutting into a vein

Question 42

plaque

Answer 42

a deposit of fatty material in the artery (atherosclerosis)

Question 43

pulmonary artery

Answer 43

carries blood to the lungs for oxygenation from the right side of the heart

Question 44

pulmonary valve

Answer 44

located between the pulmonary artery and right ventricle

Question 45

pulmonary vein

Answer 45

carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left side of the heart

Question 46

saphenous veins

Answer 46

longest veins of the body located in the lower extremities

Question 47

sinoatrial node (SA node)

Answer 47

heart's pacemaker located in the right atrium responsible for the heart contracting in a coordinated fashion through the atria

Question 48

sinus rhythm

Answer 48

normal rhythm originating in the sinoatrial node

Question 49

stenosis

Answer 49

narrowing

Question 50

systole

Answer 50

pumping or contracting phase of the heart beat

Question 51

tachycardia

Answer 51

abnormal heart rate

Question 52

thrombophlebitis

Answer 52

inflammation of a vein associated with thrombus formation

Question 53

superior vena cava

Answer 53

brings venous blood from the region of the head and upper limbs to the right side of the heart

Question 54

thrombosis

Answer 54

existence of a blood clot

Question 55

transient ischemic

Answer 55

brief interruption of circulation to a portion of the brain. A precursor to a cardiovascular accident (stroke)

Question 56

ventricle

Answer 56

lower chambers of the heart