unit 6 (cardiovascular system) - medical vocabulary Flashcards
(110 cards)
1
Q
aneurysm
A
localized, balloon-like dilation of a blood vessel, usually an artery
2
Q
angina
A
condition characterized by severe, constricting pain or pressure in the chest; also known as angina pectoris
3
Q
angiogram
A
a radiograph test that uses a contrast agent (dye) and a camera to take pictures of the blood
4
Q
angiotensin-converting (ACE) inhibitor
A
medication that keeps the body from making angiotensin II, a hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict
5
Q
antianginal
A
medication used to prevent or alleviate angina
6
Q
antiarrhythmic
A
an agent used to alleviate or prevent cardiac arrhythmia
7
Q
anticoagulant
A
an agent used to prevent the formation of blood clots
8
Q
antihypertensive
A
medication used to counteract high blood pressure
9
Q
aorta
A
the largest artery of the human body
10
Q
apex
A
the lowest part of the exterior of the heart
11
Q
arrhythmia
A
irregular heartbeat
12
Q
arteries
A
blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the organs, tissues, and cells of the body
13
Q
arterioles
A
small arterial branches that lead to capillaries
14
Q
arteriosclerosis
A
condition of thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity in the arterial walls
15
Q
atherosclerosis
A
condition of plaque buildup in the arteries
16
Q
atrioventricular (AV) node
A
a small node of modified cardiac muscle fibers at the junction of the atria and ventricles
17
Q
atrioventricular (AV) valves
A
valves located between the atrial and ventricular chambers in the right and left sides of the heart
18
Q
auscultation
A
the use of a stethoscope to listen to the heart
19
Q
beta blocker
A
a drug used to treat angina, hypertension, and heart rhythm disorders, as well as migraines, panic attacks, and tremors
20
Q
bicuspid (mitral) valve
A
the left AV valve, which has two flaps
21
Q
blood
A
the fluid and its suspended formed elements that are circulated through the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins
22
Q
blood cells
A
cells of the blood; leukocytes or erythrocytes
23
Q
blood pressure
A
the pressure exerted by the blood against the wall of an artery or vein
24
Q
blood vessels
A
vessels that convey blood; includes arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins
25
bradycardia
slow heart rate
26
bundle branches
conducting fibers that continue to pass on the electrical impulse in the cardiac conduction system
27
bundle of His
a slender bundle of modified cardiac muscle that conducts electrical impulses from the AV node to the left and right bundle branches
28
calcium channel blocker
a drug used to dilate (widen) arteries and reduce blood pressure, making it easier for the heart to pump blood
29
capillaries
small, thin-walled blood vessels with semipermeable membranes to allow for gas exchange
30
cardiac catheterization
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
31
cardiac tamponade
pathological condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the pericardium
32
cardiologist
a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases and conditions
33
cardiomyopathy
condition of diseased heart muscle
34
cardiopulmonary
the term for the functional interrelationship between the heart and the lungs
35
cardiovascular system
body system that circulates oxygen-rich blood throughout the body; also known as the circulatory system
36
cardiovascular technologist
a healthcare worker who provides assistance to doctors in diagnosing and treating heart diseases and conditions
37
cardioversion
a procedure in which controlled electrical shocks are sent through the heart to restore normal cardiac rhythm in a patient with arrhythmia
38
congestive heart failure (CHF)
disease resulting from reduced blood flow from the heart; characterized by weakness, breathlessness, abdominal discomfort, and edema in the lower extremities
39
coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
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
40
coronary artery disease (CAD)
narrowing of the coronary arteries, resulting in an insufficient blood supply to the heart
41
cyanosis
bluish or purplish discoloration of the skin, caused by decreased circulation of oxygen-rich blood
42
defibrillation
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
43
diastole
relaxation of the ventricles
44
diastolic pressure
a measurement of blood pressure between heartbeats, when the heart is "resting" between contractions
45
diuretic
medication that helps reduce excess water in the body
46
Doppler sonography (Doppler ultrasound)
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
echocardiogram/multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan
a noninvasive diagnostic method that uses ultrasound to visualize internal cardiac structures
48
electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
a record of the electrical activity of the heart
49
embolus
mass of solid, liquid, or gas that travels through the bloodstream, causing obstruction of a blood vessel
50
endarterectomy
a surgical procedure in which plaque is removed from the lining of an artery
51
endocarditis
inflammation of the inner layer of the heart muscle
52
endocardium
the innermost layer of the heart that lines the four chambers and covers the valves of the heart
53
epicardium
a thin, watery layer that forms the innermost layer of the pericardium
54
exercise stress test
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
fibrillation
rapid, spontaneous contractions of the muscle fibers in the atria or ventricles; atrial fibrillation or ventricular fibrillation
56
flutter
condition in which the atria beat more rapidly than the ventricles, causing a quivering movement in the atria; also known as atrial flutter
57
heart
a hollow, muscular, contractile organ located in the chest cavity
58
heart murmur
abnormal sound heard during auscultation of the heart, such as a whooshing sound created by a valve not completely closing
59
heart transplantation
the grafting of a living heart to a patient, from a donor who was clinically brain-dead but on life support
60
Holter monitor
a machine that continuously record cardiac rhythms; often worn for 24-48 hours to assist with diagnosing an arrhythmia condition
61
hypertension
condition of higher-than-normal blood pressure
62
hypolipidemic
medication used to reduce lipid concentrations in the blood serum (blood plasma without clotting factors)
63
hypotension
condition of lower-than-normal blood pressure
64
inferior vena cava
a blood vessel that receives blood from the abdominopelvic organs and the lower extremities and empties the blood into the right atrium
65
left atrium
the atrium of the left side of the heart
66
left ventricle
the lower chamber on the left side of the heart
67
lungs
organs that coordinate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide during the act of breathing
68
mitral valve prolapse
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
myocardial infarction (MI)
tissue death in the heart muscle resulting from an obstructed coronary artery; heart attack
70
myocarditis
inflammation of the myocardium
71
myocardium
a layer of cardiac muscle that makes up the middle of the heart
72
nodal system
a system responsible for electrical current conduction in the heart
73
nuclear thallium stress test
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
nuclear ventriculography
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
pacemaker
an electrical device that is implanted in the chest or abdomen to control abdominal cardiac rhythms through a series of electrical discharges
76
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)
a minimally invasive procedure for opening up blocked coronary arteries, allowing blood to circulate obstructed to the heart muscle
77
pericardial cavity
the space between the pericardium and the epicardium
78
pericarditis
inflammation of the pericardium
79
pericardium
the sac surrounding the heart
80
peripheral artery disease (PAD)
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
positron emission tomography (PET)
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
premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)
extra, abnormal heartbeats that disrupt the regular ventricular rhythm of the heart
83
pulmonary arteries
blood vessels that derive from the pulmonary trunk and which enter the corresponding lungs
84
pulmonary circulation
the process by which blood is pumped from the heart to the lungs and then back to the heart
85
pulmonary trunk
blood vessel that originates from the right ventricle of the heart and divides into the right and left pulmonary trunks
86
pulse
the rhythmic throbbing generated by contractions of the heart; detected over the major arteries of the body
87
Purkinje fibers
fibers in the impulse-conducting network of the heart that rapidly transmit impulses through the ventricles
88
right atrium
the atrium of the right side of the heart
89
right ventricle
the lower chamber on the right side of the heart
90
semilunar valves
two valves that each have a set of three crescent-shaped flaps; the pulmonary semilunar valve and the aortic semilunar valve
91
septum
a structure in the heart that divides the organ into the right heart and the left heart, creating a double pump
92
shock
clinical syndrome in which peripheral blood flow is insufficient to return blood to the heart for normal function
93
sinoatrial (SA) node
the mass of specialized cardiac muscle fibers that acts as the "pacemaker" of the heart
94
sphygmomanometer
an instrument used to measure blood pressure
95
stress test
a procedure that tests how efficiently the heart pumps blood
96
superior vena cava
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
systemic circulation
the process by which the heart pumps blood to all parts and systems of the body
98
systole
contraction of the ventricles
99
systolic pressure
a measurement of blood pressure while the heart ventricles are contracting
100
tachycardia
fast heart rate
101
telemetry nurse
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
thrombolytic
medications that help dissolve blood clots
103
thrombophlebitis
inflammation of a vein caused by the formation of a thrombus (clot)
104
thrombus
a blood clot that forms on the wall of a blood vessel and stays attached to the site in which it developed
105
tricuspid valve
the right AV valve, which has 3 flaps
106
varicose veins
enlarged, twisted, superficial veins, most commonly seen in the lower extremities
107
vasoconstrictor
an agent that constricts (narrows) blood vessels, increasing blood pressure
108
vasodilator
an agent stimulates dilation (dilation or widening) of blood vessels
109
veins
blood vessels that carry oxygen-poor blood to the heart
110
venules
tiny blood vessels that merge with the veins
