Medical Terminology- Cardiovascular System – Flashcards
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angi/o, vas/o, vascul/o
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vessel
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aort/o
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aorta
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arteri/o
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artery
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ather/o
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fatty (lipid) paste
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atri/o
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atrium
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cardi/o
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heart
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coron/o
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circle or crown
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my/o
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muscle
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pector/o, steth/o
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chest
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sphygm/o
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pulse
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thromb/o
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clot
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ven/o, phleb/o
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vein
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varic/o
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swollen, twisted vein
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ventricul/o
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ventricle (belly or pouch)
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atrium
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upper right or left chamber of the heart
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endocardium
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membrane lining the cavities of the heart
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epicardium
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membrane forming the outer layer of the heart
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interatrial septum
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partition between the right and left atria
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interventricular septum
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partition between the right and left ventricles
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pericardium
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protective sac enclosing the heart; composed of two layers with fluid in between
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visceral pericardium
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layer of the pericardium closest to the heart (visceral = pertaining to organ)
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parietal pericardium
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outer layer of the pericardium (parietal = pertaining to wall)
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pericardial cavity
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fluid-filled cavity between the pericardial layers
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ventricle
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lower right or left chamber of the heart
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heart valves
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structures within the heart that open and close with the heartbeat to regulate the one-way flow of blood
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aortic valve
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heart valve between the left ventricle and the aorta
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mitral valve, bicuspid valve
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heart valve between the left atrium and left ventricle (cuspis = point)
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pulmonary semilunar valve
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heart valve opening from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery (luna = moon)
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tricuspid valve
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valve between the right atrium and right ventricle
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valves of the veins
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valves located at intervals within the lining of veins, especially in the legs, which constrict with muscle action to move the blood returning to the heart
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arteries
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vessels that carry blood from the heart to the arterioles
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aorta
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large artery that is the main trunk of the arterial system branching from the left ventricle
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arterioles
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small vessels that receive blood from the arteries
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capillaries
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tiny vessels that join arterioles and venules
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venules
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small vessels that gather blood from the capillaries into the veins
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veins
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vessels that carry blood back to the heart from the venules
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systemic circulation
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circulation of the blood throughout the body via arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins to deliver oxygen and nutrients to body tissues
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coronary circulation
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circulation of the blood through the coronary blood vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle tissue
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pulmonary circulation
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circulation of the blood from the pulmonary artery through the vessels in the lungs and back to the heart via the pulmonary vein, providing for the exchange of gases
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diastole
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to expand; period during the cardiac cycle when blood enters the relaxed ventricles from the atria
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systole
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to contract; period during the cardiac cycle when the heart is in contraction and blood is ejected through the aorta and the pulmonary artery
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normotension
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normal blood pressure
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hypotension
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low blood pressure
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hypertension (HTN)
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high blood pressure
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sinoatrial (SA) node
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the pacemaker; highly specialized, neurological tissue impeded in the wall of the right atrium, responsible for initiating the electrical conduction of the heartbeat, causing the atria to contract and firing conduction of impulses to the AV node
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atrioventricular (AV) node
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neurological tissue in the center of the heart that receives and amplifies the conduction of impulses from the SA node to the bundle of His
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bundle of His
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neurological fibers extending from the AV node to the right and left bundle branches that fire the impulse from the AV node to the Purkinje fibers
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Purkinje fibers, Purkinje network
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fibers in the ventricles that transmit impulses to the right and left ventricles, causing them to contract
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polarization
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resting; resting state of a myocardial cell
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depolarization
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change of the myocardial cell from a polarized (resting) state to a state of contraction (de = not; polarization = resting)
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repolarization
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recharging of the myocardial cell from a contracted state back to a resting state (re = again; polarization = resting)
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normal sinus rhythm (NSR)
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regular rhythm of the heart cycle stimulated by the SA node (average rate of 60-100 beats/minute)
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aneurysm
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a widening; a bulging of the wall of the heart, aorta, or artery caused by a congenital defect or acquired weakness
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saccular aneurysm
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a sac-like bulge on one side
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fusiform aneurysm
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a spindle-shaped bulge
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dissecting aneurysm
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a split or tear of the vessel wall
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angina pectoris
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chest pain caused by a temporary loss of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle; often caused by narrowing of the coronary arteries (angina = to choke)
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arteriosclerosis
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thickening, loss of elasticity, and calcification (hardening) of arterial walls
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atherosclerosis
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a form of arteriosclerosis characterized by the buildup of fatty substances that harden within the walls of arteries
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atheromatous plaque
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a swollen area within the lining of an artery caused by the buildup of fat (lipids)
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claudication
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to limp; pain in a limb (especially the calf) while walking that subsides after rest; caused by inadequate blood supply
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constriction
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compression of a part that causes narrowing (stenosis)
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diaphoresis
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profuse sweating (perspiration)
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embolus
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a clot (e.g. air, fat, or a foreign object) carried in the bloodstream that obstructs the flow of blood when it lodges (embolus = stopper)
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heart murmur
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an abnormal sound from the heart produced by defect in the chambers or valves
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infarct
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to stuff; a localized area of necrosis (condition of tissue death) caused by ischemia resulting from occlusion of a blood vessel
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ischemia
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to hold back blood; decreased blood flow to tissue caused by constriction or occlusion of a blood vessel
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perfusion deficit
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lack of flow through a blood vessel caused by narrowing, occlusion, etc.
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occlusion
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plugging; an obstruction or a closing off
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palpitation
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subjective experience of pounding, skipping, or racing heartbeats
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stenosis
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condition of narrowing of a part
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thrombus
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a stationary blood clot
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vegetation
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to grow; an abnormal growth of tissue around a valve, generally as a result of infection
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acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
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signs and symptoms indicating an active process of atherosclerosic plaque buildup or formation of a thrombus, or spasm within a coronary artery, causing a reduction or loss of blood flow to myocardial tissue; includes unstable angina and other pathological events leading to a myocardial infarction (MI); early diagnosis and rapid treatment are critical to avoid or minimize damage to heart muscle
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arrhythmia, dysrhythmia
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any of several kinds of irregularity or loss of rhythm of the heartbeat
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bradycardia
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slow heart rate (less than 60 bpm)
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fibrillation
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chaotic, irregular contractions of the heart, as in atrial or ventricular fibrillation
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premature ventricular contraction (PVC)
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a ventricular contraction preceding the normal impulse initiated by the SA node (pacemaker)
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tachycardia
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fast heart rate (greater than 100 bpm)
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bacterial endocarditis
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a bacterial inflammation that affects the endocardium of the heart valves
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cardiac tamponade
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compression of the heart produced by the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac, as results from pericarditis or trauma, causing rupture of a blood vessel within the heart (tampon = plug)
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cardiomyopathy
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a general term for disease of the heart muscle, such as alcoholic cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart muscle caused by excessive consumption of alcohol
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congenital anomaly of the heart
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malformations of the heart that are present at birth (congenital = born with; anomaly = irregularity)
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atrial septal defect (ASD)
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an opening in the septum separating the atria (a congenital anomaly of the heart)
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coarctation of the heart
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narrowing of the descending portion of the aorta, resulting in a limited flow of blood to the lower part of the body (a congenital anomaly of the heart)
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patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
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an abnormal opening between the pulmonary artery and the aorta caused by failure of the fetal ductus arteriosus to close after birth (patent = open) (a congenital anomaly of the heart)
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ventricular septal defect (VSD)
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an opening in the septum separating ventricles (a congenital anomaly of the heart)
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congestive heart failure (CHF), left ventricular failure
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failure of the left ventricle to pump an adequate amount of blood to meet the demands of the body, resulting in a "bottleneck" of congestion in the lungs that may extend to the veins, causing edema in lower portions of the body
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cor pulmonale, right ventricular failure
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enlargement of the right ventricle, resulting from chronic disease within the lungs, that causes congestion within the pulmonary circulation and resistance of blood flow to the lungs (cor = heart)
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coronary artery disease (CAD)
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a condition affecting arteries of the heart that reduces the flow of blood and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the myocardium; most often caused by atherosclerosis
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hypertension (HTN)
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persistently high blood pressure
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essential hypertension, primary hypertension
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high blood pressure attributed to no single cause; risks include smoking, obesity, increased salt intake, hypercholesterolemia, and hereditary factors
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secondary hypertension
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high blood pressure caused by the effects of another disease (e.g. kidney disease)
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mitral valve prolapse (MVP)
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protrusion of one or both cusps of the mitral valve back into the left atrium during ventricular contraction, resulting in incomplete closure and backflow of blood
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myocardial infarction (MI)
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heart attack; death of myocardial tissue (infarction) caused by ischemia (loss of blood flow) as a result of an occlusion (plugging) of a coronary artery; usually caused by atherosclerosis; symptoms include pain in the chest or upper body (shoulders, neck, and jaw), shortness of breath, diaphoresis, and nausea
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myocarditis
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inflammation of myocardium; most often caused by viral or bacterial infection
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pericarditis
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inflammation of the pericardium
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rheumatic heart disease
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damage to heart muscle and heart valves by rheumatic fever (a streptococcal infection)
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sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)
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the abrupt cessation of any cardiac output (CO), most commonly as the result of ventricular fibrillation; causes sudden death unless defibrillation is initiated immediately
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deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
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formation of a clot in a deep vein of the body, occurring most often in the femoral and iliac veins
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phlebitis
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inflammation of a vein
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thrombophlebitis
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inflammation of a vein associated with a clot formation
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varicose veins
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abnormally swollen, twisted veins with defective valves; most often seen in the legs
