Glossary
Ablation: The same as removal of a part of biological tissue, usually by surgery. Ablation therapy using radio frequency waves on the heart is used to cure a variety of cardiac arrhythmia such as supraventricular tachycardia, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW), ventricular tachycardia, and more recently as management of atrial fibrillation.
Anastamosis: Surgical joining of two ducts, vessels, or bowel segments to allow flow from one to another
Aneurysm: Localized abnormal dilation of a vessel, usually an artery
Angina: Chest pain
Angioplasty: Procedure that alters a vessel through surgery or dilation of the vessel using a balloon catheter
Antihypertensives: A substance or drug that lowers blood pressure
Arrhythmia: Inability of the heart to maintain a steady rhythm, possibly including a paid or slow beat or "skipping" a beat
Atherectomy: Removal of material from a vessel using a specially designed catheter fitted with a cutting or grinding device
Capillaries: Microscopic vessels that join the arterial system with the venous system
Cardiac catheterization: Passage of a catheter into the heart through a vein or artery to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the heart
Cardiac Surgery: Cardiac surgery is a surgery on the heart and/or great vessels performed by a cardiac surgeon. Frequently, it is done to treat complications of ischemic heart disease (for example, coronary artery bypass grafting), correct congenital heart disease, or treat valvular heart disease created by various causes including endocarditis. It also includes heart transplantation.
Cardiomyopathy: Any disease of heart muscle that diminishes cardiac function
Congestive heart failure: The inability of the heart to pump a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body, or requiring elevated filling pressures in order to pump effectively
Coronary Stent: A coronary stent is a tube placed in the coronary arteries that supply the heart, to keep the arteries open in the treatment of coronary heart disease.
Coronary Bypass Surgery: Coronary artery bypass surgery is a heart operation. It uses blood vessels to go around or "bypass" clogged coronary (heart) arteries so blood can flow through the new vessels to the heart muscle the way it should.
Diuretics: Manage edema associated with heart failure and treat hypertension
Echocardiography: Noninvasive diagnostic method that uses ultrasound to visualize internal cardiac structures and produce images of the heart
Electrocardiogram: Graphic line recording that shows the spread of electrical excitation to different parts of the heart using small metal electrodes applied to the chest, arms, and legs
Embolus, emboli: Mass of undissolved matter circulating in blood or lymphatic channels unitl it becomes lodged in a vessel
Fibrillation: Quivering or spontaneous muscle contractions, especially of the heart, causing ineffectual contractions
Hemostasis: Arrest of bleeding or circulation
Heparin: A drug given directly into a vein which thins the blood when there is a danger of clotting (an anticoagulant)
Holter Monitor: a portable device for continuously monitoring various electrical activity of the central nervous system for at least 24 hours (modern Holters allow up to 11 days of monitoring)
Hyperlipidemia: Excessive amounts of lipids (cholesterol, phospholipids, and triglycerides) in the blood
Hypertension: Common disorder characterized by elevated blood pressure persistently exceeding 140 mm Hg systolic or 90 mm Hg diastolic
Infarct: Area of tissue that undergoes necrosis following cessation of blood supply
Ischemia: Deficiency of oxygen in a tissue due to obstruction of a blood vessel
Mediastinum: The part of the thoracic cavity between the lungs that contains the heart and aorta and esophagus and trachea and thymus
Mitral Valve Prolapse: Common and occasionally serious condition in which the leaflets of the mitral valve prolapse into the left atrium during systole causing a characteristic murmur heard on auscultation
Patent ductus arteriosus: Failure of the ductus arteriosus to close after birth, allowing blood to flow from the aorta ino the pulmonary (lung) artery
Pericardium: The membranous sac filled with serous fluid that encloses the heart and the roots of the aorta and other large blood vessels
Phlebotomy: Incision or puncture of a vein to remove blood or introduce fluids or medication
Thrombolysis: Destruction of blood clot using anticlotting agents called "clot-busters" such as tissue plasminogen activator
Thrombus: Blood clot that obstucts a vessel
Venipuncture: Puncture of a vein by a needle attached to a syringe or catheter to withdraw a specimen of blood, perform a phlebotomy, instill a medication, start an intravenous infusion, or inject a radiopaque substance for radiological examination