Cardiovascular Vocabulary/Word Parts/Abbreviations

Vocabulary Aneurysm Atherosclerosis Bilateral Presence Blood Pressure Coronary Diastolic Blood Pressure Hepatic Circulation Myocardial infarction Pulmonary circulation Pulse rate Pulse Rhythm Pulse volume Stethoscope Systemic circulation Systolic Blood Pressure Vein

Word Parts Erythr/o Leuk/o Tachy- Arter/o Ather/o Atri/o Cardi/o Coron/o Valv/o Phleb/o Hem/o Hemat/o -itis -ac -emia -lysis -malacia -megaly -osis -rrhexis -sclerosis -stenosis

Abbreviations BP CABG CCU ECG/EKG MI ECHO ASHD CHD CHF

Vocabulary KEY Aneurysm – an area of a blood vessel that bulges because of a weakness in the wall. Atherosclerosis – hardening of blood vessels caused by deposits of fatty material containing calcium and cholesterol. Bilateral Presence – When you assess pulses, they should be found within the same areas on both sides of the body and have the same rate, rhythm, and volume. Blood Pressure – The force of the blood against the walls of the arteries. Coronary – Pertaining to the heart; coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle. Diastolic Blood Pressure – Dilation of the heart, resting phase or filling of the ventricles, alternating with systole. Hepatic Circulation – Refers to the path of the blood from the intestines, gallbladder, pancreas, stomach and spleen through the liver. Myocardial infarction – Heart attack; blood flow to the heart is cut off.

Vocabulary KEY Pulmonary circulation – Carrying venous blood from the right ventricle to the lungs and returning oxygenated blood to the left atrium of the heart. Pulse rate – Expression of speed or frequency of an event in relation to a specified amount of time, number of contractions of the heart per minute. Pulse Rhythm – The pattern of the heartbeats; should be regular or have evenly paced beats. Pulse volume – The strength of the pulse; measurement of the pulse as it presses against the arterial wall and against your fingertips when you palpate the area. Stethoscope – An instrument used to listen to body sounds (auscultation such as the heart beat. Systemic circulation – General circulation; carrying oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to tissues of the body and returning the venous blood to the right atrium of the heart. Systolic Blood Pressure – Filling of the atria and contraction of the ventricles of the heart, alternating with diastole. Vein – Carry blood towards the heart.

Word Parts KEY Erythr/o - Red Leuk/o - White Tachy- – Fast, rapid Arter/o - Artery ather/o – plaque, fatty substance Atr/i - Atrium Cardi/o - Heart coron/o - Coronary Valv/o - Valve phleb/o - Vein hem/o - Blood hemat/o - Blood -itis – Inflammation of -ac – Pertaining to -emia – Blood, blood condition -lysis – Breakdown, separation -malacia – Abnormal softening -megaly - Enlargement -osis – Abnormal condition -rrhexis - Ruptures -sclerosis – Abnormal hardening -stenosis – Abnormal narrowing.

Abbreviations KEY BP – Blood pressure CABG – Coronary artery bypass grafting (creating new routes around narrowing or blocked coronary arteries). CCU – Coronary care unit (a hospital ward specialized in the care of patients with heart attacks, unstable angina, cardiac dysrhythmia and (in practice) various other cardiac conditions that require continuous monitoring and treatment). ECG/EKG – Electrocardiogram; electrocardiography (records the electrical activity of the heart). MI – Mitral insufficiency; myocardial infarction (a disorder in which the heart's mitral valve suddenly does not close properly, causing blood to flow backward (leak) into the upper heart chamber when the left lower heart chamber contracts).

Abbreviations KEY ECHO – Echocardiogram; echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart). ASHD – Arteriosclerotic heart disease CHD – Congenital heart defects; coronary heart disease (when the heart cannot pump at its usual capacity; vital organs do not receive enough oxygen). CHF – Congestive heart failure (a condition in which the heart can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body).