ACE inhibitors: Drugs commonly prescribed to lower high blood pressure. ACE stands for angiotensin-converting enzyme.

Angina: The medical term used to describe chest pain that is caused by blocked coronary arteries (arteries which supply the heart muscle with oxygen).

Angiography: A diagnostic test using an X-ray and a dye to view any possible blockages inside the coronary arteries.

Angioplasty: A procedure (not a surgery) that's used to open up a blocked artery by inserting and blowing up a small balloon inside the artery.

Antiarrhythmic: Drugs prescribed to regulate the heartbeat in people with an irregular heartbeat.

Anticoagulant: A type of medication that “thins” the blood, which means it makes the blood less likely to clot. It may also be referred to as a blood thinner.

Antihypertensive: Any medication used to treat high blood pressure.

Aorta: The main vessel that provides blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

ARBs: Also called angiotensin II receptor blockers, these medicines are used to treat high blood pressure. Angiotensin II is a substance in the body that normally constricts blood vessels; ARBs block that action.

Arrhythmia: An irregular heartbeat.

Atherosclerosis: A condition in which the arteries have “hardened” or narrowed because of plaque buildup

Beta-blocker: A type of drug commonly prescribed to manage high blood pressure.

Blockage or blocked artery: An artery that's clogged with plaque and is keeping blood from reaching the heart.

Blood clot: A mass of coagulated blood cells that may form inside an artery in the heart and lead to a heart attack. You may also hear a blood clot called a thrombus.

Blood pressure: The amount of pressure the heart uses to pump blood through the arteries, and what the pressure is like inside the arteries. Ideal blood pressure is 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm/hg).

BMI (body mass index): A calculation based on height and weight that is used to classify a person's weight as normal, overweight, or obese. A high BMI increases the risk of heart attack.

Bypass surgery: Surgery to re-route and restore blood flow around a blocked or clogged artery.

Cardiac: A synonym for heart.

Cardiac catheterization: A diagnostic test that involved putting a tiny tube called a catheter inside the heart to help diagnose blockages and other problems.

Cardiologist: A doctor who specializes in heart conditions.

Cholesterol: A fat-like, waxy material naturally found in the blood that can build up from poor diet, lack of exercise, or genetic predisposition. High cholesterol levels are a risk factor for heart disease and heart attack. There are two types, high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL).

Congestive heart failure: A medical condition in which the heart is weakened and cannot pump out all the blood coming in to it.

Coronary artery disease (CAD): A condition in which the arteries that supply the heart with blood become narrowed from plaque buildup.

Diuretic: A type of medication that's commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure and congestive heart failure; also referred to as water pills, diuretics increase urine output.

Echocardiography: A diagnostic test that uses sound waves to create an image of the heart.

Electrocardiogram: Also called an ECG or EKG, this diagnostic test measures the electrical activity of the heart.

Endocarditis: A condition in which the lining of the heart valves and the heart becomes inflamed.

Heart attack: A condition in which oxygen-infused blood cannot reach the heart.

Hypertension: Also called high blood pressure, hypertension occurs when the blood has to work harder to get through the veins.

Myocardial infarction: A doctor’s term for a heart attack, sometimes referred to as an “infarct.”

Nitroglycerin: A drug used to treat chest pain by opening the arteries.

Plaque: A waxy, fatty material made up of cholesterol and fats. Plaque can build up inside arteries and increase the risk of heart attack.

Pacemaker: A small electrical device surgically implanted into the chest to regulate heartbeat.

Sodium: Salt, which may cause or worsen high blood pressure when a person is consuming too much of it.

Stenosis: A narrowed or constricted area of the heart, like a heart valve, or a blood vessel.

Stent: A small mesh tube that can be inserted during angioplasty to permanently open a blocked or narrowed artery.

Stress test: A diagnostic test used to determine how well the heart can function under stress, like exercise.