autonomic nervous system

(ANS)

portion of the nervous system that regulates involuntary actions, such as heart rate, digestion and peristalis

leaflet

thin flattened structure; term used to describe the leaf-shaped structures that compose the heart valve

lumen

tubular space or channel within any organ or structure of the body; space within an artery, vein, intestine or tube

regurgitation

backflow or ejecting contents through an opening

sphincter

circular muscle found in a tubular structure or hollow organ that constricts or dialates to regulate passage of substances through its opening 

vasoconstriction

narrowing of the lumen of a blood vessel that limits blood flow, usually as a result of diseases, medications or physiological process

vasodilation

widening of the lumen of a blood vessel caused by the relaxing of the muscles of the vascular wall

viscosity

a state of being sticky or gummy

aneurysm/o

widened blood vessel

angi/o

vascul/o

vessel (usually blood or lymph)

aort/o

aorta

arteri/o

artery

arteriol/o

arteriole

atri/o

atrium

ather/o

fatty plaque

cardi/o

heart

electr/o

electricity

embol/o

embolus (plug)

hemangi/o

blood vessel

my/o

muscle

phelb/o

ven/o

vein

scler/o

hardening; sclera (white of eye)

sept/o

septum

sphygm/o

pulse

sten/o

narrowing, stricture

thromb/o

blood clot

ventricul/o

ventricle (of the heart or brain)

-gram

record, writing

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

-sphyxia

pulse

-stenosis

narrowing, stricture

brady-

slow

endo-

in, within

extra-

outside

peri-

around

tachy-

rapid

trans-

across

arrest

condition of being stopped or bringing to a stop

cardiac - loss of effective cardiac function, which results in cessation of circulation

circulatory - cessation of the circulation of blood due to ventricular standstill or fibrillation

arrhythmia

inability of the heart to maintain a normal sinus rhythm, possibly including a rapid or slow beat or "skipping" a beat; also called dysrhythmia

bruit

soft blowing sound heard on ausculation, possibly due to vibrations associated with the movement of blood, vascular action, or both; also called murmur

deep vein thrombosis

blood clot that forms in the deep veins of the body, especially those in the legs or thighs

embolus

mass of undissoled matter (foreign object, air, gas, tissue, thrombus) circulating in the blood or lymphatic channels until it becomes lodged in a vessel

hemostasis

arrest of bleeding or circulation

hyperlipidemia

excessive amounts of lipids (cholesterol, phospholipids, and triglycerides) in the blood

hypertension

common disorder characterized by elevated blood pressure persistently exceeding 140 mm Hg systolic or 90 mm Hg diastolic

primary hypertension

HTN in which there is no identifiable cause; also called essential hypertension

secondary hypertension

HTN that results from an underlying, identifiable, commonly correctable cause

hyperactive heart disease

any heart disorder caused by prolonged hypertension, including left ventricular hypertrophy, cornary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure

infarct

area of tissue that undergoes necrosis following cessation of blood supply

ischemia

local and tempory deficiency of blood supply due to circulatory obstruction

palpitaion

sensation that the heart is not beating normally, possibly including "thumping," "fluttering," "skipped beats" or a pounding feeling in the chest

perfusion

circulation of blood through tissues or the passage of fluids through the vessels of an organ

stent

slender or threadlike device used to hold open vessels, tubes or obstructed arteries

thrombus

blod clot the obstructs a vessel

cardiac catherization

passage of a catheter into the heart through a vein or artery to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the heart

electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG)

holter moniter test

ECG taken with a small portable recording system capable of storing up to 24 hours of ECG tracings

stress test

ECG taken under controlled exercise stress conditions

cardiac enzyme studies

blood test that measures troponin T, troponin I and creatine kinase (CK-MB)

coronary angiography

angiography to determine the degree of obstruction of the arteries that supply blood to the heart

lipid panel

series of tests (total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and triglycerides) used to assess risk factors of ischemis heart disease

echocardiography

noninvasive diagnostic method that uses ultasound to visualize internal cardiac structures and produce images of the heart

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

noninvasive technique that uses radiowaves and a strong magnetic field, rather than an x-ray beam, to produce multiplanar cross-sectional images of blood vessels

CABG

coronary artery bypass graft

DVT

deep vein thrombosis, deep venous thrombosis

MI

myocardial infarction

CAD

coronary artery disease