aorta: Largest artery in the body.
capillary: Smallest blood vessel.
arteriole: Small artery.
venule: Small vein.
artery: Largest type of blood vessel. Carries blood away from the heart to all parts of the body
(Hint: Notice that artery and away begin with 'a').
atrioventricular bundle: (bundle of His): Specialized muscle fibers in the wall between the ventricles that carry the electric impulses to the ventricles.
atrioventricular node: (AV node): Specialized tissue at the base of the wall between the two upper heart chambers. Electrical impulses pass from the pacemaker (SA node) through the AV node to the bundle of His.
pacemaker: Specialized nervous tissue in the right atrium that begin the heartbeat; also called the sinoatrial node. A cardiac pacemaker is an electronic apparatus implanted in the chest to stimulate heart muscle.
sinoatrial note: (SA node): Pacemaker of the heart.
atrium (plural: atria): One of two upper chambers of the heart.
ventricle: One of two lower chambers of the heart.
endothelium: Innermost lining of blood vessels.
endocardium: Inner lining of the heart.
myocardium: Muscle layer of the heart.
pericardium: Sac-like membrane surrounding the heart.
pulmonary artery: Carrying oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs.
pulmonary vein: Carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium heart.
pulmonary valve: Positioned between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery.
pulmonary circulation: Flow of blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart.
systemetic circulation: Flow of blood from the body cells to the heart and back out from the heart to the cells.
sphygmomanometer: Instrument to measure blood pressure.
vena cava (plural: venae cavae): Largest vein in the body. The superior and inferior venae cavae bring blood into the right atrium of the heart.
deoxygenated blood: Blood that is oxygen-poor.
coronary arteries: The blood vessels that branch from the aorta and carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.
diastole: Relaxation phase of the heartbeat. (in Greek diastole means 'dilatation')
systole: Contraction phase of the heartbeat. (in Greek systole means 'contracting')
mitral valve: Valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart (bicuspid valve)
tricuspid valve: Valve between the right atrium and right ventricle; it has three leaflets, (or cusps).
Combining Forms and Terminology:
angi/o -> vessel
aort/o -> aorta
arter/o -> artery
arteri/o -> artery
athero/o -> yellowish paque, fatty substance
atri/o -> atrium, upper right chamber
brachi/o -> arm
cardi/o -> heart
coron/o -> heart
cholesterol/o -> cholesterol (a lipid substance)
cyan/o -> blue
myx/o -> mucus
ox/o -> oxygen
pericardi/o -> pericardium
phleb/o -> vein
sphygm/o -> pulse
steth/o -> chest
thromb/o -> clot
valvul/o -> valve
valv/o -> valve
vas/o -> vessel [vasoconstriction,vasodilation]
vascul/o -> vessel
ven/o -> vein
ven/i -> vein
ventricul/o -> ventricle, lower heart chamber.
Pathalogical conditions:
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Abnormal heart rhythms - dysrhythmias , arrhythmias
Failure of proper conduction of impulses through the AV node to the atrioventricular bundle (bundle of His) - Heart block
Rapid but regular contractions of atria or ventricles - flutter
Rapid, random, ineffectual, and irregular contractions of the heart - fibrillation
Abnormalities in the heart at birth: Congenital heart disease
Narrowing (coarctation) of the aorta: coarctation of the aorta (CoA)
A small duct between the aorta and pulmonary artery, which normally closes soon after birth, remains open - patent ducts arteriosus (PDA).
Small holes in the septa between the atria or the ventricles - septal defects
A congenital malformation of the heart involving four (tetra-) distinct defects. - tetralogy of Fallot
The heart is unable to pump its requied amount of blood - congestive heart failure (CHF)
Disease of the arteries surrounding the heart - coronary artery disease (CAD) [ ACS - acute coronaryb syndrome, AMI - acute myocardial infarction]
Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart caused by bacteria - endocarditis
High blood pressure affecting the heart - hypertensive heart disease
Improper closure of the mitral valve - mitral valve prolapse [MVP - mitral valve prolapse]
An extra heart sound, heart between normal beats - murmur
Inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart - pericarditis
Heart disease caused by rheumatic fever - rheumatic heart disease
Local widening (dilation) of an arterial wall - aneurysm
High blood pressure - hypertension
Blockage of blood vessels outside of the heart - peripheral vascular disease [PVD]
Short episodes of pallor and cyanosis in the fingers and toes - Raynaud disease
Abnormally swollen and twisted veins, usually occuring in the legs. - varicose veins
An abnormal sound heart on auscultation - bruit
Pain, tension, and weakness in a leg after walking has begun, but absesce of pain at rest. - claudication
Collections of mateial (clots or other substances) that travel to and suddenly block a blood vessel - emboli
Area of dead tissue - infarction
Closure of blood vessel - occlusion
Open - patent
Small, pinpoint hemorrhages - petechiae
Clumps of platelets, clotting proteins, microorganisms, and red blood cells on the endocardium in conditions such as bacterial endocarditis and rheumatic heart disease - vegetations
Laboratory Tests, Clinical Procedures, and Abbreviations
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Measurement of cholesterol and triglycerides in a blood sample. - lipid tests.
Lipoproteins are physically separted in a blood sample - lipoprotein electrophoresis
Chemicals measured in the blood as evidence of a heart attack - serum enzyme tests
X-ray imaging of blood vessels after injection of contrast material - andiography
Video equipment and a computer produce x-ray images of blood vessesls - digital substraction angiography (DSA)
Sound waves measure movement of blood flow - Doppler ultrasound
High-frequency sound waves and echoes produce images of the heart - ECHO - echocardiography
Images showing blood flow and function of the myocardium following uptake of radioactive substances. - positron emission tomography scan [PET scan]
Images of cardiac tissue are produced with magentic waves - cardiac MI
A thin, flexible tube is guided into the heart via a vein or an artery - cardiac catheterization
Recording of electricity flowing through the heart - electrocardiography
An ECG device is worn during a 24-hour period to detect cardiac arrhythmias - Holter monitoring