Glossary
ACE inhibitors: A group
of medications that help relax blood vessels.
They are used to treat high blood pressure and
heart failure. For people with heart failure,
ACE inhibitors have been shown to prolong life
and minimize symptoms.
Acute myocardial infarction:
the formation of a localized area of ischemic
necrosis produced by occlusion of the arterial
supply or the venous drainage of the part occurring
during the period when circulation to a region
of the heart is obstructed and necrosis is occurring
Amino acid: An organic
compound that's a basic part of a protein.
Angina: spasmodic,
choking, or suffocating pain
Angina pectoris:
Brief attacks of chest pain or tightness caused
by insufficient oxygen supply due to reduced blood
flow to the heart muscles. It usually occurs during
exercise or exertion.
Angiogenesis:
development of blood vessels in the embryo
Angiography:
radiography of the blood vessels after introduction
of a contrast medium
Angioplasty:
an andiographic procedure for elimination of areas
of narrowing in the blood vessels, such as by
inflation of a balloon within the vessel or by
laser vaporization of an occlusion within a vessel
Anticoagulant: A substance
that prevents blood from clotting.
Aorta: the great artery
arising from the left ventricle, being the main
trunk from the systemic arterial system proceeds
Arcus cornea: A yellow
or white halo around the cornea.
Arrhythmia: Abnormal
heart rhythm. Arrhythmias can cause the heart
to beat fast or slow and can cause the heart to
beat irregularly.
Artherosclerosis: A
chronic disease in which the artery walls harden
and narrow due to accumulation of inflamed cholesterol
plaque.
Aorta: the great artery
arising from the left ventricle, being the main
trunk from the systemic arterial system proceeds
Atrial fibrillation:
atrial arrythmia marked by rapid randomized contractions
of small areas of the atrial myocardium, causing
a totally irregular, and often rapid, ventricular
rate
Balloon Valvuloplasty:
dilation of a stenotic cardiac valve by means
of a balloon-tipped catheter that is introduced
into the valve and inflated
Beta-blockers: A class
of heart drugs that decreases the amount of work
the heart must do by slowing the heart rate and
lowering blood pressure.
Bile acid: An acid
that occurs in bile, a substance secreted by the
liver.
Biopsy: removal and
examination, usually microscopic, of tissue from
the living body, performed to establish precise
diagnosis
Bradyarrhythmias:
any disturbance in the heart rhythm in which the
heart rate is abnormally slowed
CT: computed tomography
Calcium channel blockers:
A class of drugs that slows the calcium ions going
into the heart's smooth muscle cells, relaxes
the muscles in the artery walls and lowers blood
pressure.
Cardiac catheterization:
The insertion of a catheter into the heart arteries
to diagnose coronary artery disease. This test
is also called coronary angiography.
Cardiomyopathy:
a general diagnostic term designating primary,
non-inflammatory disease of the heart
Cardioplegia: arrest
of myocardial contractions through the use of
chemical compounds or cold in cardiac surgery
CardioSEAL: a double
umbrella device used to percutaneously close patent
foramen ovale and atrial septal defects
Cardiovascular disease:
Disease involving the heart and blood vessels.
Catheterization: passage
of a tubular, flexible surgical instrument into
a body channel or cavity to withdraw or introduce
fluid
Claudication: limping;
lameness
Coarctation: a local
malformation marked by deformed aortic media,
causing narrowing of the lumen of the vessel
Conduits: a channel
for the passage of fluids
Congenital: present
at and existing from the time of birth
Contrast Echocardiogram:
that in which the ultrasonic beam detects tiny
bubbles produced by intravascular injection of
a liquid of a small amount of carbon dioxide gas
Coronary artery bypass
grafting (CABG): a surgical procedure in which
a segment of vein or artery is used to restore
blood flow to a diseased artery supplying blood
to the heart
Coronary artery disease:
A progressive disease in which blockages develop
in the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart
muscle. The blockages can be caused by elevated
blood cholesterol, smoking, diabetes or high blood
pressure, among other factors. If the blockages
become severe, a heart attack can occur, leading
to damage of the heart muscle.
Coronary ischemia:
Localized areas of heart tissue that receive insufficient
oxygen supply due to reduced blood. This is caused
by narrowed/blocked coronary arteries and sometimes
results in angina pectoris or myocardial infarction.
Diastolic: the dilation
of the heart
Echocardiography: recording
of the position and motion of the heart walls
or internal structures of the heart by the echo
obtained from beams of ultrasonic waves directed
through the chest wall (n. echocardiogram)
Electron beam CT scanning:
A sectional, three-dimensional view of the body
created by a computer.
Electrophysiology:
the study of the mechanisms of production of electrical
phenomena, particularly in the nervous system,
and their consequences in the living organism
Endothelial:
the layer of epithelial cells that lines the cavities
of the heart, the serous cavities, and the lumina
of the blood and lymph vessels
Endothelium:
lining of blood vessels
Enzyme: A compound produced
by living cells.
Epidemiology: the study
of the relationships of factors determining the
frequency of diseases in the human community
Familial hypercholesterolemia:
An inherited disorder that causes excess cholesterol
in the blood.
Folic acid: A B vitamin.
Used to lower homocysteine levels and lowers the
chance of damage tp the lining of blood vessels.
HDL: High-density lipoprotein,
also called "good" cholesterol.
Hypercholesterolemia:
Excess cholesterol in the blood.
Hypertension: persistently
high arterial blood pressure
Hyperlipidemia:
a general term for elevated concentrations of
any or all of the lipids in the plasma, including
hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia
Inotropic: affecting
the force of muscular contractions
LDL: Low-density lipoprotein,
also called "bad" cholesterol.
Lipid: free fatty acid
fractions in the blood. They are stored in the
body and serve as an energy source. Elevations
can lead to diseases such as heart attack or stroke.
MRI: one of the most
powerful tools for viewing the internal organs;
produces remarkably clear images of the heart,
making it especially useful for detecting and
assessing heart masses like lumps or tumors.
MUGA: a method of labeling
red blood cells to image the chambers of the heart
and its function.
Myocardial infarction
(MI): The medical term for a heart attack.
Occluded: obstructed
or cut off
Noninvasive: Used to
describe a procedure that doesn't penetrate the
skin.
Percutaneous: performed
through the skin
Perfusion: a liquid
poured over an organ
PET: a refinement of
SPECT technology, providing a clearer pictire
of blood flow and heart function. These images
can assist physicians in diagnosing coronary artery
disease, hardening of the arteries, and blood
flow, as well as assessing coronary bypass grafts
and heart transplantation.
Platelet: a disk-shaped
structure found in the blood of all mammals and
chiefly known for its role in blood coagulation
Plaque: A fatty substance
made up of fat, cholesterol and mineral deposits
that can develop on the inside of arterial walls.
Reductase inhibitor:
product that helps to limit the amount of cholesterol
produced by the body, found in "statin" drugs.
SPECT: involves a
series of cameras rapidly imaging the heart from
different angles and dimensions to study blood
flow to the heart
Stent: a device or
mold of a suitable material used to hold a skin
graft in place or to support tubular structures
that are being anastomosed
Sternotomy: the operation
of cutting through the sternum
Supraventricular:
situated or occurring above the ventricles, especially
in an atrium or atrioventricular node
Systolic: the contraction
of the heart
Tachycardia: abnormally
rapid heart rate
Thoracotomy: incision
of the chest wall
Thrombolytic: the
dissolution of a thrombus
Thrombus: an aggregation
of blood factors, primarily platelets and fibrin
with entrapment of cellular elements, frequently
causing vascular obstruction at the point of its
formation
Thrombophilia:
a tendency to the occurrence of thrombus (see
thrombus)
Triglycerides: Compounds
in the blood that bind to proteins to form LDL
and VLDL.
Unstable angina: Angina
pectoris that is marked by sudden changes in severity,
length or the level of exertion required to trigger
an attack.
Vasculopathy: any disorder
of blood vessels
Vasospastic: spasm
of the blood vessels, decreasing their caliber
Venous: pertaining
to the veins
Ventricular: a small
cavity or chamber, as in the brain or heart
VLDL: Very low-density
lipoprotein; the liver converts VLDL into LDL
by removing triglyerides from it.
Xanthomas: Tiny cholesterol-filled
bumps that may appear on the skin as a symptom
of severe hypercholesterolemia.
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