Medical Terminology Cardiovascular System 5wq9

Suffix

Root

Medical Terminology for Health Professions

Prefix

Cardiovascular System

University of Wisconsin – La Crosse Instructor: Amanda Carpenter

Author: Nishele Lenards; Narrator: Melissa Weege

Introduction • The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body • The heart consists of four chambers: right atrium and left atrium (upper chambers); right ventricle and left ventricle (lower chambers) • The heart is divided into right and left portions by the interatrial septum and the interventricular septum • Heart valves open and close to maintain the one-way flow of blood through heart • Three heart layers: endocardium lines the interior cavities; myocardium is thick, muscular layer; epicardium is outer membrane • Enclosing heart is a loose, protective sac called pericardium

Introduction Blood flow through heart: • Deoxygenated blood from body enters heart through superior vena cava and inferior vena cava into the right atrium • With atrial contraction, tricuspid valve opens, and blood flows into right ventricle • Contraction of the right ventricle pushes blood through pulmonary semilunar valve into pulmonary artery • Pulmonary artery carries blood to lungs through pulmonary circulation where it’s oxygenated • Oxygenated blood returns to hear via pulmonary veins into left atrium • With atrial contraction, the mitral valve opens, blood flows into left ventricle • Contraction of left ventricle pushes blood through aortic valve into the aorta and on to all parts of the body through systemic circulation • Heart is first to receive oxygenated blood via right and left coronary arteries which distribute blood throughout the entire heart

The Heart

Coronary Arteries

Combining Forms Combining Form

Meaning

angi/o vas/o vascul/o

vessel

aort/o

aorta

arteri/o

artery

ather/o

fatty (lipid) paste

atri/o

atrium

cardi/o

heart

coron/o

circle or crown

my/o

muscle

pector/o steth/o

chest

sphygm/o

pulse

thromb/o

clot

ven/o phleb/o

vein

varic/o

swollen, twisted vein

ventricul/o

ventricle (belly or pouch)

Anatomical Term

Meaning

atrium

upper right or left chamber of heart

endocardium

membrane lining the cavities of the heart

epicardium

membrane forming the outer layer of the heart

interatrial septum

partition between right and left atrium

interventricular septum

partition between right and left ventricle

myocardium

heart muscle

pericardium

protective sac enclosing the heart composed of two layer with fluid between

ventricle

lower right or left chamber of the heart

Valves of Heart and Veins heart valves

structures within the heart that open and close with the heartbeat to regulate the one-way flow of blood

aortic valve

heart valve between the left ventricle and the aorta

mitral or bicuspid valve

heart valve between the left atrium and left ventricle (cuspis = point)

pulmonary semilunar valve

heart valve opening from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery (luna = moon)

tricuspid valve

valve between the right atrium and the right ventricle

valves of the veins

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

Anatomical Term

Meaning

Blood Vessels arteries

vessels that carry blood from the heart to arterioles

aorta

large artery that is the main trunk of the arterial system branching from the left ventricle

arterioles

small vessels that receive blood from the arteries

capillaries

tiny vessels that arterioles and venules

venules

small vessels that gather blood from the capillaries into the veins

veins

vessels that carry blood to the heart from the venules

Circulation systemic circulation

circulation of blood throughout the body through arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins to deliver oxygen and nutrients to body tissues

coronary circulation

circulation of blood through the coronary blood vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle tissue

pulmonary circulation

circulation of 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

Blood and Lymph Circulation

Blood Pressure Term

Meaning

diastole

to expand; period in the cardiac cycle when blood enters the relaxed ventricles from the atria

systole

to contract; period in the cardiac cycle when the heart is in contraction and blood is ejected through the aorta and pulmonary artery

normotension

normal blood pressure

hypotension

low blood pressure

hypertension

high blood pressure

Symptomatic Term

Meaning

arteriosclerosis

thickening, loss of elasticity, and calcification (hardening) of arterial walls

atherosclerosis

buildup of fatty substances that harden within the walls of arteries

atheromatous plaque

a swollen area within the lining of an artery caused by the buildup of fat (lipids)

thrombus

a stationary blood clot

embolus

a clot (air, fat, foreign object, etc.) carried in the bloodstream that obstructs when it lodges (embolus = a stopper)

stenosis

condition of narrowing of a part

constriction

compression of a part

occlusion

plugging; obstruction of a closing off

ischemia

to hold back blood; decreased blood flow to tissue caused by constriction or occlusion of a blood vessel

perfusion deficit

a lack of flow through a blood vessel caused by narrowing, occlusion, etc.

infarct

to stuff; a localized areas of necrosis (condition of tissue death) caused by ischemia resulting from occlusion of a blood vessel

angina pectoris

chest pain caused by a temporary loss of oxygenated blood to heart muscle often caused by narrowing of coronary arteries (angina = to choke)

Symptomatic Term

Meaning

Aneurysm

a widening; bulging of the wall of the heart, aorta, or artery caused by congenital defect or acquired weakness

saccular aneurysm

a saclike bulge on one side

fusiform aneurysm

a spindle-shaped bulge

dissecting aneurysm

a split or tear of the vessel wall

claudication

to limp; pain in a limb (especially the calf) while walking that subsides after rest; caused by inadequate blood supply

heart murmur

an abnormal sound from the heart produced by defects in the chambers or valves

palpitation

subjective experience of pounding, skipping, or racing heartbeats

vegetation

to grow; an abnormal growth of tissue around a valve, generally a result of infection

Causes of blood flow reduction

Cardiac Conduction Cardiac conduction provides the electrical stimulus necessary to cause the heart muscle to pump blood by the continual contraction (systole), then relaxation (diastole) of myocardial cells Repeated electrical impulses are conducted: 1. From the sinoatrial (SA) node (the pacemaker of the heart) 2. To the atrioventricular (AV) node 3. To the bundle of His 4. To the left and right bundle branches 5. To the Purkinje fibers The impulses cause each myocardial cell to: 1. Change from a resting state (polarized) 2. To a state of contraction (depolarized) 3. Back to a resting state by recharging (repolarizing)

Cardiac Conduction Term

Meaning

sinoatrial node (SA node)

the pacemaker; highly specialized neurologic tissue impeded in the wall of the right atrium responsible for initiating electrical conduction of the heartbeat, causing the atria to contract and firing conduction of impulses to the AV node

atrioventricular node (AV node)

neurologic tissue in the center of the heart that receives and amplifies the conduction of impulses from the SA node to the bundle of His

bundle of His

neurologic 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

Purkinje fibers

fibers in the ventricle that transmit impulses to the right and left ventricles, causing them to contract

polarization

resting; resting state of a myocardial cell

depolarization

change of a myocardial cell from a polarized (resting) state to a state of contraction (de = not; polarization = resting)

repolarization

recharging of the myocardial cell from a contracted state back to a resting state (re = again; polarization = resting)

normal sinus rhythm (NSR)

regular rhythm of the heart cycle stimulated by the SA node (average rate of 60-100 beats per minute)

Cardiac Conduction

Diagnostic Term

Meaning

arrhythmia

any of several kinds of irregularity or loss of rhythm of the heartbeat

bradycardia

slow heart rate (< 60 beats per minute)

fibrillation

chaotic, irregular contractions of the heart (as in atrial or ventricular fibrillation)

flutter

extremely rapid but regular contractions of the heart (as in atrial or ventricular flutter)

premature ventricular contraction (PVC)

a ventricular contraction preceding the normal impulse initiated by the SA node (pacemaker)

tachycardia

fast heart rate (> 100 beats/minute)

arteriosclerotic heart disease (ASHD)

a degenerative condition of the arteries characterized by the thickening of the inner lining, loss of elasticity, and susceptibility to rupture; seen most often in the aged or smokers

bacterial endocarditis

a bacterial inflammation that affects the endocardium or the heart valves

cardiac tamponade

compression of the heart produced by the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac as can result from pericarditis or trauma, causing rupture of a blood vessel within the heart (tampon = a plug)

cardiomyopathy

a general term for disease of the heart muscle [e.g. alcoholic cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart muscle caused by excessive consumption of alcohol)]

Diagnostic Term

Meaning

congenital anomaly of the heart

malformations of the heart present at birth (congenital = born with; anomaly = irregularity)

atrial septal defect (ASD)

an opening in the septum separating the atria

coarctation of the aorta

narrowing of the descending portion of the aorta resulting in a limited flow of blood to the lower part of the body

patent ductus arteriosus

an abnormal opening between the pulmonary artery and the aorta caused by the failure of the fetal ductus arteriosus to close after birth (patent = open)

ventricular septal defect (VSD)

an opening in the septum separating the ventricle

congestive heart failure (CHF) left ventricular failure

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

cor pulmonale right ventricular failure

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)

coronary artery disease (CAD)

a condition affecting arteries of the heart that reduces the flow of blood and delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the myocardium; most often caused by atherosclerosis

Coronary Artery Disease

Diagnostic Term

Meaning

hypertension (HTN)

persistently high blood pressure

essential (primary) hypertension

high blood pressure attributed to no single cause, but risks include smoking, obesity, increased salt intake, hypercholesterolemia, and hereditary factors

secondary hypertension

high blood pressure caused by the effects of another disease (e.g. kidney disease)

mitral valve prolapse (MVP)

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

myocardial infarction (MI)

heart attack; death of myocardial tissue (infarction) owing to loss of blood flow (ischemia) as a result of an occlusion (plugging) of a coronary artery; usually caused by atherosclerosis

myocarditis

inflammation of myocardium most often caused by viral or bacterial infection

pericarditis

inflammation of the pericardium

phlebitis

inflammation of a vein

rheumatic

heart disease

damage to heart muscle and heart valves by rheumatic fever (a streptococcal infection)

thrombophlebitis

inflammation of a vein associated with a clot formation

varicose veins

abnormally swollen twisted veins with defective valves; most often seen in the legs

deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

formation of a clot in a deep vein of the body, occurring most often in the

Anterolateral Myocardial Infarction

Diagnostic Tests & Procedures Test or Procedure

Explanation

auscultation

a physical examination method of listening to sounds within the body with a stethoscope (e.g. auscultation of the chest for heart and lung sounds)

gallop

an abnormal heart sound that mimics the gait of a horse; related to abnormal ventricular contraction

electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

an electrical picture of the heart represented by positive and negative deflections on a graph labeled with the letters P, Q, R, S, and T, corresponding to events of the cardiac cycle

stress electrocardiogram

an ECG of the heart recorded during the induction of controlled physical exercise using a treill or ergometer (bicycle); useful in detecting conditions (e.g. ischemia, infarction)

Holter ambulatory monitor

a portable electrocardiograph worn by the patient that monitors electrical activity of the heart over 24 hours; useful in detecting periodic abnormalities

magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)

magnetic resonance imaging of the heart and blood vessels for evaluation of pathology

nuclear medicine imaging

radionuclide organ imaging

myocardial radionuclide perfusion scan

a scan of the heart made after an intravenous injection of an isotope (e.g. as thallium) that is absorbed by myocardial cells in proportion to blood flow throughout the heart

myocardial radionuclide perfusion stress scan

nuclear scan of the heart taken before and after the induction of controlled physical exercise (treill or bicycle) or a pharmaceutical agent that produces the effect of exercise stress in patients unable to ambulate

Diagnostic Tests & Procedures Test or Procedure

Explanation

radiology

x-ray imaging

angiography

the process of x-ray imaging of a blood vessel after injection of contrast medium

angiogram

record obtained by angiography

coronary angiogram

radiograph of the blood vessels of the heart

arteriogram

x-ray of a particular artery (e.g. coronary arteriogram, renal arteriogram)

aortogram

x-ray of the aorta

venogram

x-ray of a vein

cardiac catheterization

introduction of a flexible, narrow tube, or catheter, through a vein or artery into the heart to withdraw samples of blood; to measure pressures within the heart chambers or vessels; and to inject contrast media for fluoroscopic radiography and cine film (motion picture) imaging of the chambers of the heart and coronary arteries. Often includes interventional procedures, such as angioplasty and atherectomy

left heart catheterization

x-ray of the left ventricular cavity and coronary arteries

Diagnostic Tests & Procedures Test or Procedure

Explanation

right heart catheterization

measurement of oxygen saturation and pressure readings of the right side of the heart

ventriculogram

an x-ray visualizing the ventricles

stroke volume (SV)

measurement of amount of blood ejected from a ventricle in one contraction

cardiac output (CO)

measurement of amount of blood ejected from either ventricle of the heart per minute

ejection fraction

measurement of volume percentage of left ventricular contents ejected with each contraction

sonography

sonographic imaging

echocardiography (ECHO)

recording of sound waves through the heart to evaluate structure and motion

Echocardiogram

the record of heart waves that is made during echocardiography

stress echocardiogram (stress ECHO)

an echocardiogram of the heart recorded during the induction of controlled physical exercise (treill or bicycle) or a pharmaceutical agent that produces the effect of exercise stress in patients unable to ambulate; useful in detecting conditions such as ischemia or infarction

transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)

an echocardiogram image of the heart after placement of an ultrasonic transducer at the end of an endoscope inside the esophagus

Doppler sonography

ultrasound technique used to evaluate blood flow to determine the presence of a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or carotid insufficiency, or to determine flow through the heart, chambers, valves, and so on

Electrocardiogram

Echocardiography

Doppler Color Flow Study

Operative Term

Meaning

Procedures performed in traditional operating room setting coronary artery by graft (CABG, which is pronounced cabbage)

grafting of a portion of a blood vessel retrieved from another part of the body (such as a length of saphenous vein from the leg or mammary artery from the chest wall) to by an occluded coronary artery restoring circulation to myocardial tissue

anastomosis

opening; ing of two blood vessels to allow flow from one to the other

valve replacement

replacement of a diseased heart valve with an artificial one

valvuloplasty

surgical repair of a heart valve

transmyocardial revascularization (TMR)

a laser technique used to open tiny channels in the heart muscle to restore blood flow, thereby relieving angina in patients who have advanced coronary artery disease

endovascular surgery

interventional procedures performed at the time of cardiac catheterization in a specialized laboratory setting or “cath lab” instead of the traditional operating room

angioscopy (vascular endoscopy)

use of a flexible fiberoptic angioscope (accompanied by an irrigation system, camera, video recorder, and monitor) that is guided through a specific blood vessel to visually assess a lesion and to select the mode of therapy

arteriotomy

an incision into an artery

atherectomy

excision of atheromatous plaque from within an artery utilizing a device housed in a flexible catheter that selectively cuts away or pulverizes tissue buildup

embolectomy

incision into an artery for the removal of an embolus

thrombectomy

incision into an artery for the removal of a thrombus

Operative Term

Meaning

endarterectomy

surgical removal of the lining of an artery to clear a blockage caused by a clot or atherosclerotic plaque buildup

percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)

a method of treating the narrowing of a coronary artery by inserting a specialized catheter with a balloon attachment, then inflating it to dilate and open the narrowed portion of the vessel and restore blood flow to the myocardium

intravascular stent

implantation of a device used to reinforce the wall of a vessel and assure its patency (openness) – most often used to treat a stenosis or a dissection (a split or tear in the wall of a vessel) or to reinforce patency of a vessel after angioplasty

Devices used for Endovascular Interventional Procedures

Angioplasty

Therapeutic Term

Meaning

defibrillation

termination of ventricular fibrillation by delivering an electrical stimulus to the heart; most commonly done by applying electrodes of the defibrillator externally to the chest wall but can be performed internally during open heart surgery or via an implanted device

defibrillator

device that delivers the electrical stimulus in defibrillation

cardioversion

termination of tachycardia either by pharmaceutical means or by delivery of electrical energy

implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)

an implanted, battery-operated device with rate sensing leads; the device monitors cardiac impulses and initiates an electrical stimulus as needed to stop ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia

pacemaker

a device used to treat slow heart rates (bradycardia) by electrically stimulating the heart to contract; most often implanted with lead wires and battery circuitry under the skin but can be temporarily placed externally with lead wires inserted into the heart via a vein

Pacemaker

Common Therapeutic Drug Classifications Term

Meaning

angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor

a drug that suppresses the conversion of angiotensin in the blood by angiotensin-converting enzyme; used in the treatment of hypertension

antianginal

a drug that dilates coronary arteries, restoring oxygen to the tissues to relieve the pain of angina pectoris

antiarrhythmic

a drug that counteracts cardiac arrhythmia

anticoagulant

a drug that prevents clotting of the blood

antihypertensive

a drug that lowers blood pressure

beta-adrenergic blocking agents

agents that inhibit responses to sympathetic adrenergic nerve activity, causing a slowing of electrical conduction and heart rate and a lowering of the pressure within the walls of the vessels; used to treat angina pectoris and hypertension

beta blockers

Common Therapeutic Drug Classifications Term

Meaning

calcium channel blockers

agents that inhibit the entry of calcium ions in heart muscle cells, causing a slowing of heart rate, lessening the demand for oxygen and nutrients, and relaxing of the smooth muscle cells of the blood vessels to cause dilation; used to prevent or treat angina pectoris, some arrhythmias, and hypertension

cardiotonic

a drug that increases the force of myocardial contractions in the heart; commonly used to treat congestive heart failure

diuretic

a drug that increases the secretion of urine; commonly prescribed in treating hypertension

hypolipidemic

a drug that reduces serum fat and cholesterol

thrombolytic agents

drugs used to dissolve thrombi (blood clots) (e.g. streptokinase or tissue plasminogen activator [TPA or tPA])

vasoconstrictor

a drug that causes a narrowing of the blood vessels, decreasing blood flow

vasodilator

a drug that causes dilation of the blood vessels, increasing blood flow