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Glossary
A B C D E F G H I L M N O P R S T V W
- amino acid:
- result of body's breakdown of protein, used for body recycling; excess is converted to energy or fat
- angina:
- pressure or pain, mild to severe, in the chest area from blood-starved heart muscles
- anxiety:
- feeling of tension or uneasiness, distress
- aorta:
- largest artery, (+ or - 1" diameter) funnels blood from the heart (left ventricle) to smaller arteries to the rest of body.
- arterioles:
- smallest arteries passing blood to capillaries
- arterioclerosis::
- artery walls thicken and lose flexibility (see atherosclerosis), commonly called hardening of the arteries
- atheroma:
- collection of fatty plaque in the arteriesatherosclerosis: a type of arteriosclerosis from fatty plaque deposits on artery walls that block the flow of blood
- atrium (atria):
- upper chamber of the heart receiving blood from the body and lungs and passing it to the ventricles
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- blood pressure:
- measured force on the walls of the arteries as it is pumped from the heart. (see systolic, diastolic)
- bradycardia:
- too low heart beat rate, usually less than 60
- bruit:
- a murmur caused by a narrowed blood vessel
- capillaries:
- smallest branches of blood vessels, whose thin wall oxygen and carbon dioxide pass through
- cardiac arrest:
- stopped heart beat, usually with loss of consciousness; usually from ventricular fibrillation
- cardiologist/cardiology:
- physician/study of the heart and blood vessels, and related disorders and treatments
- Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR):
- restoration of blood circulation to prevent death and brain damage, using mouth-to-mouth breathing and heart muscle compression
- cardiovascular:
- concerned with the heart and blood vessels
- catheter:
- flexible tube inserted in blood vessels or body duct to deliver medication, drain fluids, diagnose or repair
- cerebral embolism:
- a stroke caused by a clot traveling to the brain, usually originating elsewhere
- cerebral thrombosis:
- a stroke caused by a clot in an artery leading to the brain
- cholesterol:
- a white, fatty matter manufactured by the body; essential for cells, hormone production and other functions; only found in animals and their by products. High levels lead to plaque formations and to coronary heart disease
- collateral circulation:
- blood vessels that join to take over some of the circulation of blocked vessels; natural by-pass congestive heart failure: decline of heart's ability to pump, causing fluid accumulation in lungs, stomach and legs
- coronary arteries:
- vessels supplying blood to the heart's muscles; name comes from corona, Latin for crown
- coronary by-pass surgery:
- procedure to graft new vessels around blocked arteries to increase flow to heart's muscles
- coronary heart disease:
- decreased blood flow to the heart's muscles from narrowing or blockage of coronary arteries
- cyanosis:
- poorly oxygenated blood causing blue skin in lips and fingernails
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- diabetes:
- inability of the body to process glucose (blood sugar); in Type I, juvenile onset, no insulin is produced, in Type II, adult onset, insulin is not effectively utilized
- diastolic:
- relaxing phase of the heartbeat, second number of blood pressure measurement (systolic/diastolic)
- diuretic:
- matter that rids the body of excess water and salts
- edema:
- swelling of parts of the body due to fluid retention
- electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG):
- chart of heart's electrical impulses; used as a diagnostic tool
- embolism (embolus):
- a clot or particle carried in the bloodstream that blocks the passage of blood
- endocardium:
- the inner lining of the heart
- fiber:
- roughage; type of carbohydrate not broken down in digestion; rarely found in animal products
- fibrin:
- protein-based fibers that form clots to block wounds
- glucose:
- a sugar found in many foods; the body's primary fuel
- heart attack (myocardial infarction):
- death of heart muscle resulting from reduction or stoppage of blood flow
- hemoglobin:
- substance found in red blood cells; combines with oxygen and
carries it to cells
- HDL (high density lipoproteins):
- carry cholesterol away from artery walls and help prevent it from depositing there
- hormones:
- chemicals which control almost every body function, released into the blood by endocrine glands
- hyperglycemia:
- very high level of glucose (blood sugar)
- hypercholestemia:
- very high level of cholesterol
- hypertension:
- medical name for high blood pressure
- hypertrophy:
- enlarged muscle due to increased work load
- hypoglycemia:
- very low level of glucose (blood sugar), most often caused by an overdose of insulin by diabetics
- hypoxia:
- lack of sufficient oxygen in body tissue
- inferior vena cava:
- major vein in the lower body that carries oxygen depleted blood to the heart
- invasive techniques/procedures:
- diagnosis or treatment that enters the body by surgery, catheter
or needle puncture
- ischemia:
- lack of oxygen in an organ from artery blockage
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- LDL (low density lipoproteins):
- carry cholesterol from the liver to body cells; often called bad cholesterol
- lipoproteins:
- carry cholesterol and other lipids in the body
- metabolism:
- chemical changes and physical processes to utilize nutrients and needed to sustain life
- monosaturated fats:
- fatty acids capable of accepting more hydrogen atoms; remain liquid or soft at room temperature
- multivessel disease:
- when more than one vein or artery (usually coronary) is impaired or blocked
- myocardial infarction:
- see heart attack
- myocardium:
- heart tissue
- noninvasive procedure/technique:
- does not require surgery, insertion of a catheter or needle puncture
- open heart surgery:
- when the heart's protective sac is opened and a heart-lung machine takes over circulation
- palliative therapy:
- treatment to relieve symptoms without attempting to cure the cause
- pericarditis:
- inflammation of the heart's protective sac
- pericardium:
- Heart's outer protective sac (membrane); fluid between this sac and the heart lubricates as it pumps
- phlebitis:
- inflammation of veins, usually in the legs
- plaque:
- deposits on the inner lining of arteries built up from cholesterol, fats, calcium and other waste in the blood
- platelets:
- small cells in the blood which allow clotting
- polyunsaturated fats:
- fatty acids holding the fewest hydrogen atoms; liquid at rooms temperature
- pulmonary embolism:
- blockage of the pulmonary artery or its branches by a clot (embolus)
- pulmonary stenosis:
- partial or full blockage of the pulmonary artery or valve
- pulse:
- movement of a blood vessel coinciding with the heart beat
- red blood cells:
- cells with hemoglobin that carry oxygen
- restenosis:
- return of blood vessel blockages after treatment
- renin:
- substance causes blood vessels to contract, regulating blood pressure, made primarily in the kidneys
- risk factor:
- any behavior or condition (past, present and inherited) increasing the chance of disease or injury
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- saturated fats:
- fatty acids containing the highest possible
number of hydrogen atoms; solid at room temperature
- septum:
- strong tissue wall that separates the left and right sides (atria and ventricles) of the heart
- shock:
- insufficient blood in vital parts of the body which temporarily stop functioning, if untreated can lead to brain damage or death; often a reaction to injury
- stasis:
- limited or stopped flow
- stenosis:
- narrowing of any blood vessel, valve or passage
- stents:
- wire scaffold to hold a tube, such as an artery, open
- stroke:
- stoppage of flow of blood to the brain, usually from a clot or
rupture of a blood vessel
- superior vena cava:
- major vein in the upper body that carries oxygen depleted blood to the heart
- systolic:
- contraction phase of the heartbeat, first number
of blood pressure measurement (systolic/diastolic)
- tachycardia:
- too fast heart beat rate, usually more than 100
- thrombosis:
- clot
- TIA (transient ischemic attack):
- very slight stroke, due to a temporary blockage of a blood vessel in the brain
- triglycerides:
- fatty substances (lipids) in the blood and adipose (fatty) tissues, high levels may lead to heart disease
- vasospasm:
- sudden involuntary contraction of a blood vessel; abnormal
- vasovagal response:
- fainting or light headedness due to sudden reduction of heartbeat or blood pressure
- vegan:
- strict vegetarian: using no animal products, dairy or eggs; animal derived products (leather, silk, etc.) not used.
- vein:
- vessel that returns oxygen poor blood to the heart venous
- thrombosis:
- blood clots in the arteries
- ventricles:
- two lower chambers that pump blood to the body (left) and to the lungs (right)
- white blood cells (corpuscles):
- cells in the blood that destroy harmful bacteria and other foreign substances
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