MUST KNOW terms Flashcards
Ablation
A procedure that can correct heart rhythm problems; uses long, flexible tubes inserted in a vein in the groin and threaded to the heart to correct structural problems.
Angioplasty - AKA Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA)
A procedure performed by cardiac surgeons to open an obstruction or narrowing of a blood vessel, using a balloon that is inserted with a catheter.
Aneurysm
An aneurysm is an abnormal widening of a blood vessel. Aneurysms can sometimes burst, causing a serious medical emergency.
Arterial line
A small plastic tube that is placed in an artery in your wrist in order to monitor arterial blood pressure
Catheter
A hollow, flexible tube used to withdraw or inject fluid into the body.
Ischemia
Lack of or insufficient oxygen to the heart muscle. Ischemia is a reversible condition if normal blood flow is restored.
Murmur
A heart murmur is defined as the sound caused by turbulent blood flow through the heart.
Palpitations
A noticeably rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeat.
Percutaneous
Performed through a small opening in the skin.
Plaque AKA Lesions/Stenosis
The accumulated wax-like material that causes a blockage in a blood vessel.
Platelets
A substance in the blood that is involved in the formation of a clot.
Regurgitation
The valve does not close completely, causing the blood to flow backward instead of forward through the valve.
Restenosis
A re-narrowing or blockage of an artery at the same site where angioplasty was previously done.
Stenosis
A narrowing of any canal. Used to describe narrowed coronary arteries or a narrowed heart valve.
Stent
An expandable, slotted metal tube that is inserted into a vessel. A stent acts as a scaffold to provide structural support for a vessel.
