Cardiovascular Disease
a disease of the heart or blood vessels
Cardiovascular System
the body system that consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood, and that carries needed substances to cells and carries waste products away from cells
Pulmonary Circulation
Pumping of oxygen-poor blood to the lungs and oxygen rich blood back to the heart by the right side of the heart
Systemic Circulation
Pumping of oxygen rich blood to the body and oxygen poor blood back to the heart by the left side of the heart
Vena Cava
Largest veins in the body: they carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart
Aorta
Largest artery in the body; it leaves the heart and branches into smaller arteries, arterioles, and capillaries carrying oxygen rich blood to body tissues
Coronary arteries
Medium-sized arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle
Sinus Node or Sinoatrial (SA) node
Group of cells in the rigth atrium where the electrical signal is generated that establishes heartbeat
Atherosclerosis
Thickening or hardening of the arteries due to the buildup of lipid (fat) desposits
Fatty Streak
Accumulation of lipo-proteins within the walls of an artery
Lipoprotein
Package of proteins, phospholipids (fat molecules with phospate groups chemically attached), and cholestrol that transports lipids in the blood
Cholestrol
Type of fat that is essential in small amounts for certain body functions
Plaque
Accumulation of debris in an artery wall, consisting of lipoproteins, white blood cells, collagen, and other substances.
Aneurysm
Weak or stretched spot in an artery wall that can tear or rupture, causing sudden death
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries
Ischemia
Insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients to tissue caused by narrowed or blocked arteries
Myocardial Infraction (MI) (Heart Attack)
Lack of blood to the heart muscle with resulting death of heart tissue; often called a heart attack
Coronary Thrombosis
Blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot that may cause sudden death
Angina
Intermittent pain, pressure, heaviness, or tightness in teh center of the chest caused by a narrowed coronary artery
Arrhythmia
Irregular or disorganized heartbeat
Ventricular fibrillation
Type of arrhythmia in which the ventricles contract rapidly and erratically, causing the heart to quiver or "tremor" rather than beat
Sudden cardiac death
Abrupt loss of heart function caused by an irregular or ineffective heartbeart
Stroke (Cerebrovascular accident (CVA))
Lack of blood flow to the brain with resulting death of brain tissue
Ischemic strokes
Strokes caused by blockage in a blood vessel in the brain
Thrombus
Blood clot that forms in a narrowed or damaged artery
Embolism
Blood clot that travels from elsewhere in teh body
Hemorrhagic strokes
Strokes caused by rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, with bleeding into brain tissue
Systolic Pressure
Pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts, represented by the upper number in a blood pressure measurement
Congestive Heart Failure
Condition in which the heart is not pumping the blood as well as it should, allowing blood and fluids to back up in the lungs
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Heart Value disorder in which the mitral valve, which separates the left ventricle from the left atrium, does not fully close, allowing blood to leak backward into the atrium
Septal Defect
Congenital heart defect in which an extra hole allows blood to flow from one atrium to the other or one ventricle to the other
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD)
Atherosclerosis in the blood vessels of the arms or legs
Cardiomyopathy
Disease of the heart muscle
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Abnormal thickening of one part of the heart, frequently the left ventricle
Low density lipoproteins (LDLs)
Bad" cholestrol; lipoproteins that accumulate in plaque and contribute to atherosclerosis
High density lipoproteins (HDLs)
Good cholestrol; help clear cholestrol from cells and atherosclerotic deposits and trasport it back to the liver for recycling
Diabetes
Metabolic disorder in which the production or use of insulin is disrupted, so that body cells cannot take up glucose and use it for energy, and high levels of glucose circulate in the blood
Triglycerides
Blood fats similar to cholesterol
Lipoprotein(a)
Subgroup of LDL cholesterol that is thought to increase blood clotting
Homocysteine
Amino acid that circulates in the blood and may damage the lining of blood vessels
Metabolic Syndrome
Condition characterized by a combination of obesity, especially central obesity; elevated blood pressure; dyslipidemia (high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol); and glucose intolerance, a pre-diabetes condition
C-reactive Protein
Blood marker for inflammation that may indicate an increaded risk for coronary heart disease
Electrocardiogram
Record of the heart's electrical activity as it beats
Echocardiogram
Diagnostic test for a heart attack in which sound is used to visualize heart valves, heart wall movement, and overall heart function
Exercise Stress Test
Procedure that evaluates how well the heart functions with exercise`
Coronary angiogram
Diagnostic test for a heart attack in which a dye is injected into a fine catheter that is passed into the heart and Xrays are taken as the dye moves through the heart, showing any blocked or narrowed coronary arteries
Angioplasty
Procedure to reopen a blocked coronary artery, in which a balloon catheter (a thin plastic tube) is threaded into the narrowed area and inflated to stretch the vessel open again
Coronary artery bypass grafting
Surgical procedure in which a healthy blood vessel is taken from another part of the body and grafted to the coronary arteries to allow a bypass of blood flow around a narrowed vessel
Rheumatic Fever
Acute disease that can occur as a complication of an untreated strep throat infection
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Disease in which the heart is scarred following strep throat infection and rheumatic fever