Cardio

• Aneurysm


  Balloon-like sac formed when weakening of the arterial wall leads to a localized dilation, introducing a risk of rupture of the wall
• Angina pectoris


  Severe chest pain and a feeling of suffocation resulting from inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle
• Angiospasm


  Sudden contraction of the smooth muscle in a blood vessel wall, which can temporarily interrupt flow
• Aortostenosis


  Narrowing of the aorta, congenitally or as a result of disease; also called aortic stenosis
• Arrhythmia


  Any irregularity in the heart beat
• Arteriosclerosis


  Diminished elasticity in arterial walls, usually due to normal aging processes; also referred to as hardening of the arteries
• Myocarditis


  Inflammation of the muscular layer of the heart wall (the myocardium), usually due to infection
• Palpitation


  An unusually rapid or strong heart beat that is perceptible (and often frightening) to the patient
• Pericarditis


  Inflammation of the fibrous sac surrounding the heart (the pericardium), usually due to infection
• Peripheral vascular disease


  Progressive disease in which the blood vessels of the legs become narrower, usually due to atherosclerosis
• Phlebitis


  Inflammation of a vein
• Reynaud's phenomenon


  Vascular disorder in which the fingers and toes become cold, numb, and painful as a result of temporary constriction of blood vessels in the skin
• Rheumatic heart disease


  Heart disease caused by rheumatic fever, in which persistent streptococcal infection causes inflammation and scarring of the valves, impairing their ability to open and close normally
• Secondary hypertension


  Type of hypertension in which blood pressure is elevated as a result of another condition, usually kidney disease
• Tachycardia


  tachy = rapid, cardi = heart, a = condition, abnormally rapid heart rate, usually defined as 100 or more beats per minute
• Thrombophlebitis


  thromb = clot, phleb = vein, itis = inflammation, inflammation of a vein complicated by the formation of a blood clot within the vein
• Thrombosis


  thromb = clot, osis = condition, condition in which a stationary blood clot obstructs blood vessel at the site of its formation
• Valvulitis


  valvul = valve, itis = inflammation, inflammation of a valve, particularly one of the valves within the heart
• Varicose vein


  varic = "twisted vein", ose = having qualities of, a superficial vein that has become enlarged and twisted, usually as a result of damage to a valve and subsequent pooling in the vein
• Vasospasm


  vaso = vessel, spasm = sudden contraction, sudden contraction of smooth muscle in a blood vessel wall, which can temporarily interrupt blood flow
• Angiography


  1. ray recording of the blood vessels after injection of a contrast agent
• Cardiac catheterization


  Procedure in which a small tube is pushed through a blood vessel until it reaches the heart; used to withdraw a sample of blood directly from the heart and to evaluate the coronary arteries
• catheter


  something inserted
• Echocardiography


  Technique in which high-frequency sound waves are used to produce an image of the internal structures of the heart
• echo


  returned sound
• Pericardiocentesis


  Procedure in which a hollow needle is inserted through the chest wall into the fibrous sac surrounding the heart (the pericardium) to withdraw fluid for diagnostic purposes or to relieve pressure on the heart
• Sphygmomanometry


  Measurement of blood pressure using a blood pressure cuff (a sphygmomanometer)
• Stress test


  Use of a treadmill or other exercise equipment to measure a patient's cardiovascular response to exertion; changes in the ECG during exercise can provide evidence of various types of heart disease; also called an exercise tolerance test or ETT
• Venography


  Technique in which x-rays are used to visualize the veins following injection of a contrast agent
• Ventriculography


  x-ray recording of a heart ventricle following injection of a contrast agent
• Balloon angioplasty


  Procedure in which a deflated balloon is pushed through a blood vessel to a site of obstruction and is inflated to restore the vessel to its normal size; alternatively, the inflated balloon may be used to pull an embolus through the blood vessel for removal from the body; also called percutaneous coronary angioplasty, or PTCA
• Cardioversion


  Application of an electrical shock to the chest to restore a normal rhythm to the heart beat; also referred to as defibrillation
• Coronary Artery Bypass Graft


  Procedure in which a vein taken from the leg or other part of the body is grafted onto the heart to circumvent an obstruction in a coronary artery; also referred to as CABG ("cabbage")
• Phlebotomy


  Surgical opening of a vein (e.g., to draw blood or remove a blood clot)
• Valvotomy


  Surgical incision into a valve, usually to increase the size of the opening
• Valvuloplasty


  Surgical repair or replacement of a valve; if a balloon is used to open the defective valve, the procedure i called balloon valvuloplasty
• Venipuncture


  Procedure in which a vein (usually in the forearm) is punctured with a needle, usually to withdraw blood for diagnostic purposes