Glossary of Terms Related to Cardiovascular Disease

Glossary of Terms Related to Cardiovascular Disease

Carotid Artery Disease: A condition in which a fatty material called plaque builds up inside the carotid arteries.

Carotid Endarterectomy: Surgery to remove plaque from the carotid arteries.

Cerebrovascular Disease: Disease of the blood vessels in the brain.

Cholesterol: A fatty substance present in all parts of the body. It is a component of cell membranes and is used to make vitamin D and some hormones. Some cholesterol in the body is produced by the liver and some is derived from food, particularly animal products. A high level of cholesterol in the blood can help cause atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. In the blood, cholesterol is bound to chemicals called lipoproteins. Cholesterol attached to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) harms health and is often called bad cholesterol. Cholesterol attached to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is good for health and is often called good cholesterol.

Congenital Heart Disease: Abnormalities of the heart’s structure and function caused by abnormal or disordered heart development before birth.

Coronary Angiography: A test that uses dye and special x-rays to show the inside of the coronary arteries

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A type of surgery used to improve blood flow to the heart in people with severe coronary artery disease (CAD). During this surgery, a healthy artery or vein from another part of the body is connected, or grafted, to the blocked coronary artery. The grafted artery or vein bypasses the blocked portion of the coronary artery. This new passage routes oxygen-rich blood around the blockage to the heart muscle.

Coronary Artery Disease: Also called coronary heart disease. It is the most common type of heart disease that results from atherosclerosis, the gradual buildup of plaques in the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that bring blood to the heart.

Coronary Micro vascular Disease: A condition in which a fatty material called plaque builds up in the heart’s smallest arteries.

Deep Vein Thrombosis: A blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body.

Echocardiography (Echo): A painless test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart.

 

Cardiovascular Disorders Sourcebook, Fourth Edition

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): An external, noninvasive test that records the electrical activity of the heart.

Endocarditis: An infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves called the endocardium.

Event Monitors: Devices that record problems with the heart’s rhythm when symptoms occur.

Heart Block: An arrhythmia that occurs when the electrical signal is slowed or disrupted as it moves through the heart.

Heart Disease: A number of abnormal conditions affecting the heart and the blood vessels in the heart. The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease, which is the gradual buildup of plaques in the coronary arteries.

Heart Failure: A condition in which the heart can’t pump blood the way it should. In some cases, the heart can’t fill with enough blood. In other cases, the heart can’t send blood to the rest of the body with enough force.

Heart Murmur: An extra or unusual sound heard during a heartbeat. Murmurs range from very faint to very loud. They sometimes sound like a whooshing or swishing noise.

Heart Transplant: Surgery to remove a person’s diseased heart and replace it with a healthy heart from a deceased donor.

Heart Valve Disease: A condition in which one or more of the heart’s four valves don’t work properly.

Holter Monitors: Devices that record heart rhythm continuously for 24 to 48 hours.

Hypertension: Also called high blood pressure, it is having blood pressure greater than 140 over 90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). Long-term high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and organs, including the heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain.

Hypotension: Low blood pressure.

Ischemia: Decrease in the blood supply to a an organ, tissue, or other part caused by the narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels.

Ischemic Stroke: A blockage of blood vessels supplying blood to the brain, causing a decrease in blood supply.

Long QT Syndrome: A disorder of the heart’s electrical activity that causes a person to develop a sudden, uncontrollable, and dangerous arrhythmia in response to exercise or stress.

Metabolic Syndrome: A group of risk factors—including large waist- line, abnormal blood fat levels, higher than normal blood pressure, and higher than normal blood sugar levels—linked to overweight and obesity that raise the chance for heart disease and other health problems such as diabetes and stroke.

Mitral Valve Prolapse: A condition in which one of the heart’s valves don’t close tightly.

Obesity: Having too much body fat. People with a body mass index of 30 or higher are obese.

Pacemaker: A small device that’s placed under the skin of the chest or abdomen to help control abnormal heart rhythms. This device uses electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate.

Palpitations: Feelings that the heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or fast. They can occur during activity or even when sitting still or lying down.

Pericarditis: A condition in which the membrane, or sac, around the heart, called the pericardium, is inflamed.

Peripheral Arterial Disease: A condition in which plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to the head, organs, and limbs, often causing pain and numbness in the lower body.

Plaque: A buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other substances that ac- cumulate in the walls of the arteries.

Post stroke Rehabilitation: Therapy to help stroke survivors relearn skills that are lost when part of the brain is damaged.

Raynaud Syndrome: A rare disorder that affects the arteries, causing reduced blood flow to the fingers and toes.

Septum: A wall of tissue that divides the right and left sides of the heart.

Sleep Apnea: A condition that causes a person to stop breathing for short periods during sleep.

Stent: A small mesh tube that’s used to treat narrowed or weakened arteries in the body. A stent is placed in a weakened artery to improve 625 Cardiovascular Disorders Sourcebook, Fourth Edition blood flow and to help prevent the artery from bursting. Stents usually are made of metal mesh, but sometimes they’re made of fabric. Fabric stents, also called stent grafts, are used in larger arteries.

Stress Test (Treadmill Test): A test that gives doctors information about how the heart works during physical stress. During a stress test, a person exercises (walks or runs on a treadmill or pedals a bicycle) to make the heart work hard and beat fast. Tests are done on the heart during exercise.

Stroke: Stoppage of blood flow to an area of the brain, causing permanent damage to nerve cells in that region. A stroke can occur either because an artery is clogged by a blood clot (called ischemic stroke) or an artery tears and bleeds into the brain. A stroke can cause symptoms such as loss of consciousness, problems with movement, and loss of speech.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA): A condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs.

Tachycardia: A heartbeat that is too fast.

Total Artificial Heart:A device that replaces the two lower chambers of the heart. These chambers are called ventricles.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA): A “mini-stroke” where there is a short-term reduction in blood flow to the brain usually resulting in temporary stoke symptoms. Does not cause damage to the brain, but puts a person at higher risk of having a full stroke.

Triglyceride: A type of fat in the blood stream and fat tissue. High triglyceride levels (above 200) can contribute to the hardening and narrowing of arteries.

Ultrasound: A painless, harmless test that uses sound waves to produce images of the organs and structures of the body on a screen. Also called sonography.

Varicose Veins: Swollen, twisted veins that be seen just under the surface of the skin. These veins usually occur in the legs.

Vacuities: A condition that involves inflammation in the blood vessels.

Ventricles: The two lower chambers of the heart. The ventricles pump blood out of the heart into the circulatory system to other parts of the body