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Ch.10 Cardiovascular

Medical Terminology I Cardiovascular System

analgesic Pertaining to relieving pain; a medication that relieves pain
anastomosis A surgical joining of 2 ducts (blood vessels or bowel segments to allow flow from one to the other
aneurysm Localized dialation of a weakened area of the wall of an artery. The weakened area balloons out with every pulsation of the artery.
aneurysmectomy(AN-yoo-riz-MEK-toh-mee) Surgical removal of the sac of an aneurysm.
anomaly Deviation from normal; birth defect; for example, congenital ANOMALY
anorexia Lack or loss of appetite, resulting from the inablilty to eat.
arthralgia Joint pain
ascites Abnormal collectionof fluid within the peritoneal cavity. (This fluid contains large amounts of protein and electrolytes. General abdominal swelling occurs with this.
atherosclerosis A form of arteriosclerosis characterized by fatty deposits building up within the inner layers of the walls of larger arteries.
benign Noncancerous; not progressive.
bruit(brew-EE) An abnormal sound or murmur heard when listening to a carotid artery, organ or gland with a stethoscope.
carditis Inflammation of the heart muscles
claudication Cramplike pains in the calves of the legs caused by poor circulation to the muscles of the legs. (Commonly associated with atherosclerosis)
coronary artery One of a pair of arteries that branch from the aorta. (This supplies blood and oxygen to the hearth muscle)
cusp Any one of the small flaps on the valves of the heart.
dependent edema A fluid accumulation in the tissues influences by gravity; usually greater in the lower extremities that in tissue levels above that of the heart
diastole The period of relaxation of the heart, alternating with the contraction phase known as systole.
dysrhythmia Abnormal rhythm
edema THe localized or generalized collection of fluid within the body tissues, causing the area to swell.
endocarditis Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart.
epicardium The inner layer of the pericardium, which is the double folded membrane that encloses the heart.
hepatomegaly Enlargement of the liver
Homan's sign Pain felt in the calf or of the leg, or behind the knee, when the examiner is purposefully dorsiflexing the foot of the patient (bending the toes upward toward the foot). If the patient feels pain, it is called a positive Homan's sign.
hyperlipidemia An excess level of fats in the blood.
hypertension Elevated blood pressure persistantly higher than 135/85 mmHg, high blood pressure.
WHat is "hypertension" also known as? Arterial hypertension
hypotension Low blood pressure
infarction A localized area of necrosis (death) in tissue, a vessel, organ or a part resulting from lack of oxygen (anoxia) due to interrupted blood flow to the area.
ischemia Decreased supply of oxygenated blood to a body part or organ.
lesion A wound, injury or any pathelogical change in body tissue.
lipid Any group of fats or fatlike substances found in the blood. (Examples are: cholesterol, fatty acids and triglycerides)
lumen A cavity or the channel within any organ or structure of the body; the space within an artery, vein, intestine or tube.
malaise(mah-LAYZ) A vague feeling of body weakness or discomfort, often indicating the onset of an illness or disease.
mediastinum(mee-dee-ass-TYE-num) The area between the lungs in the chest cavity that contains the heart, aorta trachea, esophagus and bronchi.
murmur A low=pitched humming or flutterin sound.
myocardium The middle muscular layer of the heart.
nocturia Urination at night
occlusion Closure, or state of being closed
orthopnea An abnormal condition in which a person sits up straight or stands up to breathe comfortably.
pacemaker The SA node of the heart located in the right atrium. It is responsible for initiating the heartbeat, influencing the rate and rhythm of the heart beat.
palpable Detectable by touch.
palpatation A pounding or racing of the heart, associated with normal emotional responses or with heart disorders.
pericardial Pertaining to the pericardium
pericardium The double membranous sac that encloses the heart and the organs of the great blood vessels.
petechiae(peh-TEE-kee-ee) Small, purplish, hemorrhagic spots on the skin; may be due to abnormality in the blood-clotting mechanism of the bosy.
pitting edema Swelling, usually of the skin of the extremities, that when pressed firmly with a finger will maintain the dent produced ny the finger.
prophylactic An agent that protects against disease.
pulmonary artery One of a pair of arteries that transports deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs for oxygenation. (These are the only arteries in the body to carry deoxygenated blood).
pulmonary circulation The circulation of deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs for oxygenation and back to the left atrium of the heart; that is: from the heart, to the lungs and back to the heart.
pulmonary vein One of four large veins (two from each lung) that returns oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the laft atrium of the heart. These are the only things in the body that carry oxygenated blood.
SA node Sinoatrial node; pacemaker of the heart
septum A wall, or partition, that divides or separates two cavaties.
serum sickness A hypersensitivity reaction that may occur two or three weeks after administration of an antiserum. (ymptoms include fever, enlargement of the spleen, swolen lymph nodes, joint pain, skin rash).
Sydenham's chorea A form of involuntary muscle twitching associated with rheumatic fever, usually occuring in childhood.
Chorea involuntary muscle twitching
systemic circulation The circulation of blood from the left ventricle of the heart, throughout the body, and back to the right atrium of the heart. Oxygenated blood leaves the left ventricle of the heart and is distributed to the capillaries . . . .and so on to the right atr
systole The contraction phase of the heartbeat forcing blood into the aorta and the pulmonary arteries. (Marked by the 1st sound heard on a blood pressure cuff)
thrombosis The formation or existance of a blood clot.
vascoconstriction Narrowing of the LUMEN of a blood vessel.
vegetation An abnormal growth of tissue around a valve.
Created by: mstallthang