Medterm

• Cardiovascular system


  Responsible for distributing nutrients to cells and tissues throughout the body and for transporting waste products from tissues to the organs of elimination
• Cardiovascular system


  • Exchange mechanisms in the digestive organs and lungs supply the circulating blood with the oxygen and other nutrients required for normal cellular function
  • Transports these substances throughout the body, delivering them even the most remote cells and tissues
  • Extracts byproducts of cellular metabolism from the tissues and transports these substances to the organs responsible for eliminating wastes
• Heart


  Main organ of the circulatory system, its main job is making the blood flow freely through your veins
• How the Cardiovascular System Works

  1. Heart pumps to create pressure that forces the blood to move throughout the body via a channel system of arteries and veins

  2. System reaches from the center of your chest out to the nether regions of your appendages and back again, insuring that life-giving and sustaining blood cells are carried through your entire body
• Cardium


  Greek root word for heart
• Cardi


  Common form of cardium
• Cardio


  Common form of cardium
• Heart


  • Layers: Endocardium, Epicardium, Myocardium
  • Chambers: Atria, Ventricles
  • Valves: Bicuspid, Pulmonary semilunar, Aortic semilunar, Tricuspid

  
• Layers of the heart

  • Endocardium
  • Epicardium
  • Myocardium

  
• Chambers of the heart

  • Atria
  • Ventricles
• Valves of the heart

  • Bicuspid
  • Pulmonary semilunar
  • Aortic semilunar
  • Tricuspid
• Endocardium


  Inner layer of the heart, lining the chambers and covering the valves

  
• Epicardium


  Outer layer of the heart

  
• Myocardium


  Actual heart muscle, thick middle layer

  
• Atrium


  Upper heart chambers serving as receiving stations for blood
• Ventricles


  Thick, lower chambers responsible for pumping blood
• Interatrial septum


  Membrane separating the two atria
• Interventricular septum


  Membrane separating the two ventricle chambers
• Bicuspid valve


  Valve with two flaps
• Pulmonary semilunar valve


  Valve with a half-moon shape
• Aortic semilunar valve


  Valve with a half-moon shape
• Tricuspid valve


  Valve with three flaps
• Combining forms referring to the heart


  • atri/o
  • cardi/o
  • sphygm/o
  • valvul/o
  • ventricul/o
• Combining forms referring to the vasculature

  • angi/o
  • aort/o
  • arteri/o
  • arteriol/o
  • phleb/o
  • vas/o
  • vascul/o
  • ven/o
  • venul/o
• Combining forms referring to pathologic substances

  • arther/o
  • embol/o
  • thromb/o
• Suffixes pertaining to the cardiovascular system

  • -cuspid
  • -lunar
  • -sclerosis
  • -spasm
  • -tension
  • -version
• 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