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52 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Abnormal widening (ballooning) of a portion of an artery as a result of weakness in its wall, or it may be present at birth (congenital)- the larger aneurysm becomes, the greater the risk of rupture |
Aneurysm |
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Mild to severe pain or pressure in the chest caused by ischemia; also called angina |
Angina pectoris |
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Irregularity or loss of rhythm of the heartbeat; also called dysrhythmia |
Arrhythmia |
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Arrhythmia in which there is rapid, uncoordinated quivering of the myocardium that can affect the atria or ventricles; usually described by the part that is contracting abnormally, such as atrial fibrillation or ventricular fibrillation |
Fibrillation |
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Thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of arterial walls; also called hardening of the arteries |
Arteriosclerosis |
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Most common form of arteriosclerosis caused by accumulation of fatty substances within the arterial walls, resulting in partial and, eventually, total blockage |
Atherosclerosis |
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Soft blowing sound heard on auscultation caused by turbulent blood flow |
Bruit |
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Mass of undissolved matter (commonly a blood clot, fatty plaque, or air bubble) that travels through the bloodstream and becomes lodged in a blood vessel |
Embolus |
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Disease of the electrical system of the heart, which controls activity of heart muscle |
Heart block |
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Atrioventricular (AV) block in which atrial electrical impulses are delayed by a fraction of a second before being conducted to the ventricles |
First-dgree |
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Atrioventricular (AV) block in which only some atrial electrical impulses are conducted to the ventricles |
Second-degree |
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Atrioventricular (AV) block in which no electrical impulses reach the ventricles; also called complete heart block (CHB) |
Third-degree |
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Occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood flow to meet the needs of the body and can cause a number of symptoms, such as shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance |
Heart Failure (HF) |
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Consistently elevated blood pressure, causing damage to the blood vessels and, ultimately, the heart |
Hypertension (HTN) |
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Inadequate supply of oxygenated blood to a body part as a result of an interruption of blood flow |
Ischemia |
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Structural abnormality in which the mitral (bicuspid) valve does not close completely, resulting in a backflow of blood into the left atrium with each contraction |
Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) |
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Abnormal sound heard on auscultation caused by defects in the valves or chambers of the heart |
Murmur |
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Necrosis of a portion of cardiac muscle caused by partial or complete occlusion of one or more coronary arteries; also called heart attack |
Myocardial Infarction (MI) |
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Failure of the ductus arteriosus (which connects the pulmonary artery to the aortic arch in a fetus) to close after birth, resulting in an abnormal opening between the pulmonary artery and the aorta |
Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) |
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Severe, sudden vasoconstriction and spasm in fingers and toes followed by cyanosis after exposure to cold temperature or emotional stress; also called Raynaud phenomenon |
Raynaud disease |
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Streptococcal infection that causes damage to the heart valves and heart muscle, most commonly in children and young adults |
Rheumatic Heart Disease |
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Damage to part of the brain as a result of interruption of its blood supply caused by bleeding within brain tissue or more commonly, blockage of an artery, also called cerebrovascular accident (CVA) |
Stroke |
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A stationary blood clot formed within a blood vessel or within the heart, commonly causing vascular obstruction; also called blood clot |
Thrombus |
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Formation of a blood clot in a deep vein of the body, occurring most commonly in the lower legs |
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) |
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Blood supply to part of the brain is briefly interrupted but does not cause permanent brain damage and may be a warning sign of a more serious and debilitating stroke in the future; also called ministroke |
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) |
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Insertion of a small tube (catheter) through an incision into a large vein, usually of an arm (brachial approach) or leg (femoral approach), which is threaded through a blood vessel until it reaches the heart |
Cardiac catheterization |
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Battery of blood tests performed to determine the presence of cardiac damage |
Cardiac enzyme studies |
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Ultrasound technique that records blood flow velocity (speed) to image major blood vessels (arteries or veins in arms, neck, legs, abdomen) to detect obstructions caused by atherosclerotic plaques in patients at risk for a stroke |
Doppler ultrasonography |
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Ultrasound technique used to image the heart and evaluate how the heart's chambers and valves are working and to diagnose and detect pathological conditions |
Echocardiography (ECHO) |
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Creation and study of graphic recordings (electrocardiograms) produced by electrical activity generated by the heart muscle; also called cardiography |
Electrocardiography (ECG, EKG) |
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Monitoring device worn by a patient that records prolonged electrocardiograph readings (usually 24 hours) on a portable tape recorder while the patient conducts normal daily activities |
Holter monitor |
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Electrocardiography (EKG) taken under controlled exercise stress conditions (typically using a treadmill) while measuring oxygen consumption |
Stress test |
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ECG that uses a radioisotope to evaluate coronary blood flow |
Nuclear |
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Blood test that measures protein released into the blood by damaged heart muscles (not skeletal muscle) and is a highly sensitive, specific indicator of recent myocardial infarction (MI) |
Troponin I |
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Surgery that opens a blocked artery by inflating a small balloon within a catheter to widen and restore blood flow in the artery |
Angioplasty |
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Restoration of normal heart rhythm by applying an electrical counter-shock to the chest using a device (defibrillator); also called defibrillation |
Cardioversion |
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Bypass surgery in which peripheral veins are removed, and each end of the vein is sutured onto the coronary artery to create new routes around narrowed and blocked arteries, allowing sufficient blood flow to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle |
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) |
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Device used to administer a defibrillating electrical shock to restore normal heart rhythm |
Defibrillator |
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Surgically implanted electrical device that continuously monitors and corrects potential fatal arrhythmias by delivering low-energy shocks to the hear; also called implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) |
Automatic Implantable Cardioverter-defibrillator (AICD) |
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Portable computerized device that analyzes the patient's heart rhythm an delivers an electrical shock to stimulate a heart in cardiac arrest |
Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) |
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Surgical removal of the lining of an artery |
Endarterectomy |
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Removal of plaque (artherosclerosis) and thromboses from an occluded carotid artery to reduce the risk of stroke |
Carotid Endarterectomy |
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Treatment of large varicose veins in the legs in which a laser fiber is inserted directly into the affected vein to heat the lining within the veins causing it to collapse, shrink, and eventually disappear; also called endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) |
Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT) |
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Chemical injection into a varicose vein that causes inflammation and formation of fibrous tissue, which closes the vein |
Sclerotherapy |
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Insertion of a balloon catheter in a blood vessel in the groin though the aorta and into the heart to widen a stenotic (stiffened) heart valve and increase blood flow; also called percutaneous valvuloplasty |
Valvuloplasty |
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Prevent clotting or coagulation of blood |
Anticoagulants |
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Slow the heart rate and reduce the force with which the heart muscle contracts, lowering blood pressure |
Beta Blockers |
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Relieve chest pain associated with angina and ease symptoms of heart failure (HF) |
Nitrates |
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Reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and block production of an enzyme in the liver that produces cholesterol |
Statins |
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Dissolve (lyse) blood clots in a process known as thrombolysis |
Thrombolytics |
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A narrowing of the coronary arteries that results in failure of the arteries to deliver an adequate supply of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle |
Coronary artery disease (CAD) |
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Narrowing of arterial walls |
Arteriostenosis |