SAN PEDRO COLLEGE

Respiratory Therapy Department MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

Charisa Antonette S. Huelva – 2B

THE CARDIOVASCULAR
COMBINING FORM SYSTEM
MEANING
Angi/o, vas/o, vascul/o
COMBINING Vessel
FORMS
Aort/o Aorta
Arteri/o Artery
Ather/o Fatty (lipid) paste
Cardi/o Heart
Coron/o Circle, crown
My/o Muscle
Pector/o, steth/o Chest
Thromb/o Clot
Sphygm/o Pulse
Ven/o, phleb/o Vein
Varic/o Swollen, twisted vein
Ventricul/o Ventricle
Define:
 Angiogram
- Angi/o + gram
- Vessel + X-ray recording
- X-ray record of a blood vessel
 Cardiologist
- Cardi/o + logy + ist
- Heart + study + specializes
- Physician who specializes in the study of the heart
 Vasospasm
- Vas/o + spasm
- Vessel + involuntary contraction
- Involuntary contraction of blood vessel
 Cardiology
- Cardi/o + logy
- Heart + study
- Study of the heart
 Thrombolysis
- Thromb/o + lysis
- Clot + breaking down
- Breaking down of clots
 Atherosclerosis Valves of the Heart and Veins
- Ather/o + sclerosis  Heart valves - structures within the heart that open and close
- Fatty paste + hardening
with the heartbeat to regulate the one-way flow of blood
- Hardened lipids inside the blood vessels
 Aortic valve - heart valve between the left ventricle and the
 Phlebotomist
aorta
- Phleb/o + tomy + ist
 Mitral valve, bicuspid valve - heart valve between the left
- Vein + incision + one who specializes in
atrium and the left ventricle
- Someone trained to draw blood samples from the veins
 Pulmonary semilunar valve - heart valve opening from the
 Stethoscope
right ventricle to the pulmonary artery
- Steth/o + scope
 Tricuspid valve - valve between the right atrium and the right
- Chest + instrument for examination
- An instrument used to listen to the heart ventricle
 Sphygmomanometer  Valves of the veins - valves located at intervals within the
- Sphygm/o + mano + meter lining of veins, especially in the legs, which constrict with
- Pulse + pressure + instrument for measuring muscle action to move the blood returning to the heart
- Instrument that measures blood pressure based on its
pressurized pulse through an artery
Septa and Layers of the Heart
 Atrium - upper right or left chamber of the heart
 Endocardium - membrane lining the cavities of the heart

ANATOMIC TERMS

 Epicardium - membrane forming the outer layer of the heart

 Interatrial Septum - partition between the right and left atria
 Interventricular Septum - partition between the right and left
ventricles
 Myocardium - heart muscle
 Pericardium - protective sac enclosing the heart composed of
two layers with fluid between
o Visceral Pericardium - layer closest to the heart
o Parietal Pericardium - outer layer
o Pericardial cavity - fluid-filled cavity between the pericardial
layers
 Ventricle - lower right or left chamber of the heart

Blood Vessels
1|C a r d i o v a s c u l a r System - Huelva
 SAN PEDRO COLLEGE
Respiratory Therapy Department MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Charisa Antonette S. Huelva – 2B

 Aorta - large artery that is the main trunk of the arterial system
branching from the left ventricle
 Arteries - vessels that carry blood from the heart to the
arterioles
 Arterioles - small vessels that receive blood from the arteries
 Capillaries - tiny vessels that join arterioles and venules
 Venules - small vessels that gather blood from the capillaries
into the veins
 Veins - vessels that carry blood to the heart from the venules
Circulation
 Systemic circulation - circulation of blood throughout the
body via arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins to
deliver oxygen and nutrients to body tissues
 Coronary circulation - circulation of blood through the
coronary blood vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the
heart muscle tissue
 Pulmonary circulation - circulation of blood from the
pulmonary artery through the vessels in the lungs and back to
the heart via the pulmonary vein, providing for the exchange of  Diastole - to expand; period during the cardiac cycle when
gases blood enters the relaxed ventricles from the atria
 Systole - to contract; period during the cardiac cycle when the
heart is in contraction and blood is ejected through the aorta
and the pulmonary artery
 Normotension - normal blood pressure
 Hypotension - low blood pressure
 Hypertension - high blood pressure

BLOOD PRESSURE TERMS

Repeated electrical impulses are conducted:

from the sinoatrial (SA) node (the pacemaker of the heart)

to the atrioventricular (AV) node

to the bundle
CARDIAC CONDUCTION of HisTERMS

to the left and right bundle branches

to the Purkinje fibers
The impulses cause each myocardial cell to change:
from a resting state (polarized)

to a state of contraction (depolarized)

then back to a resting state by recharging (repolarizing)

 Sinoatrial node - the pacemaker; highly specialized,

neurological tissue impeded in the wall of the right atrium;
responsible for initiating electrical conduction of the heartbeat,
causing the atria to contract and firing conduction of impulses
to the AV node
 Atrioventricular node - neurological tissue in the center of the
heart that receives and amplifies the conduction of impulses
from the SA node to the bundle of His
 bundle of His - neurological fibers extending from the AV node
to the right and left bundle branches that fire the impulse from
the AV node to the Purkinje fibers

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 SAN PEDRO COLLEGE
Respiratory Therapy Department MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Charisa Antonette S. Huelva – 2B

 Purkinje fibers, Purkinje network - fibers in the ventricles that o Tachycardia - fast heart rate (greater than 100
transmit impulses to the right and left ventricles, causing them beats/minute)
to contract  Bacterial Endocarditis - a bacterial inflammation that affects
 Polarization - resting; resting state of a myocardial cell the endocardium or the heart valves
 Depolarization - change of a myocardial cell from a polarized  Cardiac Tamponade - compression of the heart produced by
(resting) state to a state of contraction the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac, from pericarditis
or trauma, causing rupture of a blood vessel within the heart
DIAGNOSTIC TERMS  Cardiomyopathy - a general term for disease of the heart
muscle, such as alcoholic cardiomyopathy (damage to the
 Repolarization - recharging of the myocardial cell from a heart muscle caused by excessive consumption of alcohol)
contracted state back to a resting state  Congenital Anomaly of the Heart - malformations of the heart
 Normal sinus rhythm - regular rhythm of the heart cycle that are present at birth (congenital = born with; anomaly =
stimulated by the SA node (average rate of 60–100 irregularity)
beats/minute) o Atrial Septal Defect - an opening in the septum separating
 Aneurysm - a widening; a bulging of the wall of the heart, the atria
aorta, or artery caused by a congenital defect or acquired o Coarctation of the Aorta - narrowing of the descending
weakness portion of the aorta, resulting in a limited flow of blood to the
o Saccular aneurysm - a sac-like bulge on one side lower part of the body
o Fusiform aneurysm - a spindle-shaped bulge o Patent Ductus Arteriosus - an abnormal opening between
o Dissecting aneurysm - a split or tear of the vessel wall the pulmonary artery and the aorta caused by failure of the
 Angina pectoris - chest pain caused by a temporary loss of fetal ductus arteriosus to close after birth
oxygenated blood to heart muscle; often caused by narrowing
of the coronary arteries (angina = to choke)
 Arteriosclerosis - thickening, loss of elasticity, and
calcification (hardening) of arterial walls
 Atherosclerosis - a form of arteriosclerosis characterized by
the buildup of fatty substances that harden within the walls of
arteries
o Atheromatous plaque - a swollen area within the lining of
an artery caused by the buildup of fat (lipids)
 Claudication - to limp; pain in a limb (especially the calf) while
walking that subsides after rest; caused by inadequate blood
supply
 Constriction - compression of a part that causes narrowing
(stenosis)
 Diaphoresis - profuse sweating
 Embolus - a clot (e.g., air, fat, or a foreign object) carried in the
bloodstream that obstructs the flow of blood when its lodges
 Ventricular Septal Defect - an opening in the septum
separating the ventricles
SYMPTOMATIC TERMS

 Heart murmur - an abnormal sound from the heart produced

by defects in the chambers or valves
 Infarct - to stuff; a localized area of necrosis (condition of
tissue death) caused by ischemia resulting from occlusion of a
blood vessel
 Ischemia - to hold back blood; decreased blood flow to tissue
caused by constriction or occlusion of a blood vessel
o Perfusion deficit - lack of flow through a blood vessel
caused by narrowing, occlusion, etc.
 Occlusion - plugging; an obstruction or a closing off
 Palpitation - subjective experience of pounding, skipping, or
racing heartbeats
 Stenosis - condition of narrowing of a part
 Thrombus - a stationary blood clot
 Vegetation - to grow; an abnormal growth of tissue around a
valve, generally as a result of infection
 Acute Coronary Syndrome - signs and symptoms indicating
an active process of syndrome (ACS) atherosclerotic plaque
buildup or formation of a thrombus, or spasm within a coronary
artery, causing a reduction or loss of blood flow to myocardial  Congestive Heart Failure, Left Ventricular Failure - failure of
tissue; includes unstable angina and other pathological events the left ventricle to pump an adequate amount of blood to meet
leading to myocardial infarction (MI); early diagnosis and rapid the demands of the body, resulting in a “bottleneck” of
treatment are critical to avoid or minimize damage to heart congestion in the lungs that may extend to left ventricular
muscle failure the veins, causing edema in lower portions of the body
 Arrythmia, Dysrhythmia - any of several kinds of irregularity  Cor Pulmonale, Right Ventricular Failure - enlargement of
or loss of rhythm of the heartbeat the right ventricle, resulting from chronic disease within the
o Bradycardia - slow heart rate (less than 60 beats/minute) lungs, that causes congestion within the pulmonary circulation
o Fibrillation - chaotic, irregular contractions of the heart, as and resistance of blood flow to the lungs
in atrial or ventricular fibrillation  Coronary Artery Disease - a condition affecting arteries of the
o Premature Ventricular Contraction - a ventricular heart that reduces the flow of blood and the delivery of oxygen
contraction preceding the normal impulse initiated by the SA and nutrients to the myocardium; most often caused by
node (pacemaker) atherosclerosis
 Hypertension - persistently high blood pressure

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 SAN PEDRO COLLEGE
Respiratory Therapy Department MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Charisa Antonette S. Huelva – 2B

o Essential Hypertension, Primary Hypertension - high

blood pressure attributed to no single cause; risks include
smoking, obesity, increased salt intake,
hypercholesterolemia, and hereditary factors
o Secondary Hypertension - high blood pressure caused by
the effects of another disease (e.g. kidney disease)
 Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) - protrusion of one or both cusps
of the mitral valve back into the left atrium during ventricular
contraction, resulting in incomplete closure and backflow of
blood
 Myocardial Infarction (MI) - heart attack; death of myocardial
tissue (infarction) caused by ischemia (loss of blood flow) as a
result of an occlusion (plugging) of a coronary artery; usually
caused by atherosclerosis; symptoms include pain in the chest
or upper body (shoulders, neck, and jaw), shortness of breath,
diaphoresis, and nausea
 Myocarditis - inflammation of myocardium; most often caused
by viral or bacterial infection
 Pericarditis - inflammation of the pericardium
 Rheumatic Heart Disease - damage to heart muscle and
heart valves by rheumatic fever (a streptococcal infection)
 Sudden Cardiac Arrest - the abrupt cessation of any cardiac
output (CO), most commonly as the result of ventricular
fibrillation; causes sudden death unless defibrillation is initiated
immediately
 Deep Vein Thrombosis - formation of a clot in a deep vein of
the body, occurring most often in the femoral and iliac veins
 Phlebitis - inflammation of a vein
 Thrombophlebitis - inflammation of a vein associated with a
clot formation
 Varicose veins - abnormally swollen, twisted veins with
defective valves; most often seen in the legs

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 SAN PEDRO COLLEGE
Respiratory Therapy Department
Charisa Antonette S. Huelva – 2B
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND PROCEDURES
 Auscultation - physical examination method of listening to
sounds within the body with a stethoscope (e.g., auscultation of
the chest for heart and lung sounds)
o Gallop - abnormal heart sound that mimics the gait of a
horse; related to abnormal ventricular contraction
 Electrocardiogram (ECG) - an electrical picture of the heart
represented by positive and negative deflections on a graph
labeled with the letters P, Q, R, S, and T, which correspond to
events of the cardiac cycle
o Stress electrocardiogram - electrocardiogram (ECG or
EKG) of the heart recorded during the induction of controlled
physical exercise using a treadmill or ergometer (bicycle);
useful in detecting heart conditions (e.g., ischemia or
infarction)
o Holter ambulatory monitor - portable electrocardiograph
worn by the patient that monitors electrical activity of the
heart over 24 hours; useful in detecting periodic
abnormalities
 Intracardiac electrophysiological study (EPS) - invasive
procedure involving placement of catheter-guided electrodes
within the heart to evaluate and map the electrical conduction
of cardiac arrhythmias; intracardiac catheter ablation may be
performed at the same time to treat the arrhythmia
o Intracardiac catheter ablation - use of radiofrequency
waves sent through a catheter within the heart to treat
arrhythmias by selectively destroying myocardial tissue at
sites that generate abnormal electrical pathways
 Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) - magnetic
resonance imaging of the heart and blood vessels for
evaluation of pathology
 Nuclear medicine imaging - radionuclide organ imaging of the
heart after administration of radioactive isotopes to visualize
structures and to analyze functions
o Myocardial radionuclide perfusion scan - scan of the
heart made after an intravenous (IV) injection of an isotope
(e.g., thallium) as it is absorbed by myocardial cells in
proportion to blood flow throughout the heart; useful in
evaluating coronary artery disease (CAD)
 Myocardial radionuclide perfusion stress scan -
nuclear perfusion scan of the heart that is made before
and after the induction of controlled physical exercise
(treadmill or bicycle) or a pharmaceutical agent that
produces the effect of exercise stress in patients who are
unable to ambulate
o Multiple-gated acquisition (MUGA) scan - nuclear image
of the beating heart in motion made as radioactive isotopes
are injected in the bloodstream and traced through the
heart’s chambers; useful in evaluating the pumping function
of the ventricles
o Positron- emission tomography (PET) scan - use of
specialized nuclear isotopes and computed tomographic
techniques to produce perfusion (blood flow) images and to
study the cellular metabolism of the heart; can be performed
at rest or with stress
 Radiology - x-ray imaging
o Angiography - process of x-ray imaging a blood vessel after
injection of contrast medium, most commonly after catheter
placement
o Angiogram - record obtained by angiography
 Coronary angiogram - x-ray image of the blood vessels
of the heart using a catheter to inject contrast
 Arteriogram - x-ray image of a particular artery (e.g.,
coronary arteriogram or renal arteriogram)
 Aortogram - x-ray image of the aorta
 Venogram - x-ray image of a vein
 Cardiac catheterization - introduction of a flexible, narrow
tube (or catheter) through a vein or artery into the heart to
withdraw samples of blood, to measure pressures within the
heart chambers or vessels, and to inject contrast media for
fluoroscopic radiography and cine film (motion picture) imaging
of the chambers of the heart and coronary arteries; often
includes interventional procedures, such as angioplasty and
atherectomy
5|C a r d i o v a s c u l a r System - Huelva
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
o Left heart catheterization - x-ray imaging of the left
ventricular cavity and coronary arteries
o Right heart catheterization - measurement of oxygen
saturation and pressure readings of the right side of the
heart
o Ventriculogram - x-ray image of the ventricles
o Stroke volume - measurement of the amount of blood
ejected from a ventricle in one contraction
o Cardiac output - measurement of the amount of blood
ejected per minute from either ventricle of the heart
o Ejection fraction - measurement of the volume percentage
of left ventricular contents ejected with each contraction
 Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) - specialized,
noninvasive, three-dimensional (3-D) computed tomographic
scan of the heart and circulation of the “greater” blood vessels,
such as the coronary arteries, aorta, and pulmonary veins;
performed with or without contrast
 Sonography - sonographic imaging
o Echocardiography (Echo) - recording of sound waves
through the heart to evaluate structure and motion
o Stress Echocardiogram (stress echo) - echocardiogram of
the heart recorded during the induction of controlled physical
exercise (treadmill or bicycle) or a pharmaceutical agent that
produces the effect of exercise stress in patients who are
unable to ambulate; useful in detecting conditions such as
ischemia or infarction
o Transesophageal echocardiogram - echocardiogram of
the heart after placement of an ultrasonic transducer at the
end of an endoscope inside the esophagus
OPERATIVE TERMS
o Doppler sonography - ultrasound technique used to
evaluate blood flow to determine the presence of a deep
vein thrombosis (DVT) or carotid insufficiency, or to
determine flow through the heart, chambers, valves, and so
on.
Procedures in the Traditional Operating Room
 Coronary artery bypass graft - grafting a portion of a blood
vessel retrieved from another part of the body (e.g., a length of
saphenous vein from the leg or mammary artery from the chest
wall) to bypass an occluded coronary artery, restoring
circulation to myocardial tissue; the traditional method includes
temporary arrest of the heart with circulation (bypass) of the
patient's blood through a heart lung machine during the
procedure; an alternative, off-pump approach uses a stabilizer
to perform the procedure on the beating heart; the abbreviation
CABG is pronounced “cabbage”
o Anastomosis - opening; the joining of two blood vessels to
allow flow from one to the other
 Endarterectomy - surgical removal of the lining of an artery to
clear a blockage caused by a clot or atherosclerotic plaque
buildup
 Valve replacement - surgery to replace a diseased heart valve
with an artificial valve; there are two types of artificial valves:
tissue valves, most commonly made from animal tissue (e.g.,
porcine [pig] or bovine [cow]), and mechanical valves, made
from synthetic material
 Valvuloplasty - surgical repair of a defective heart valve
Procedures in a Catheterization Laboratory
 Percutaneous Coronary Intervention - interventional
procedures used to treat coronary artery disease (CAD)
performed at the time of cardiac catheterization in a specialized
laboratory setting (or “cath lab”) instead of the traditional
operating room
o Angioscopy, vascular endoscopy - use of a flexible
fiberoptic angioscope (accompanied by an irrigation system,
camera, video recorder, and monitor) that is guided through
a specific blood vessel to visually assess a lesion and to
select the mode of therapy
o Atherectomy - excision of atheromatous plaque from within
an artery utilizing a device housed in a flexible catheter that
selectively cuts away or pulverizes tissue buildup
 SAN PEDRO COLLEGE
Respiratory Therapy Department MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Charisa Antonette S. Huelva – 2B

o Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty - a  Vasodilator - drug that causes dilation of the blood vessels,
method for treating the narrowing of a coronary artery by thereby increasing blood flow
inserting a specialized catheter with a balloon attachment
then inflating the balloon to dilate and open the narrowed
portion of the vessel and restore blood flow to the

THERAPEUTIC TERMS

myocardium; most often includes the placement of a stent

 Intravascular stent placement - implantation of a device
used to reinforce the wall of a vessel and assure its
patency (openness); most often used to treat a stenosis or
a dissection (a split or tear in the wall of a vessel) or to
reinforce patency of a vessel after angioplasty
 Defibrillation - termination of ventricular fibrillation by
delivering an electrical stimulus to the heart; most commonly,
this is done by applying the electrodes of the defibrillator
externally to the chest wall, but it can also be performed
internally, such as during open heart surgery or via an
implanted device
o Defibrillator - device that delivers the electrical stimulus in
defibrillation
 Cardioversion - restoration of a fast or irregular heart rate to a
normal rhythm, either by pharmaceutical means or by delivery
of electrical energy
 Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) - an implanted,
battery-operated device with rate-sensing leads; the device
monitors cardiac impulses and initiates an electrical stimulus as
needed to stop ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia
 Pacemaker - a device used to treat slow heart rates
(bradycardia) by electrically stimulating the heart to contract;
most often, it is implanted with lead wires and battery circuitry
under the skin, but it can also be placed on a temporary basis
externally with lead wires inserted into the heart via a vein
Common Therapeutic Drug Classification
 Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor - drug that
suppresses the conversion of angiotensin in the blood by the
angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE); used in the treatment of
hypertension
 Antianginal - drug that dilates coronary arteries, restoring
oxygen to the tissues to relieve the pain of angina pectoris
 Antiarrhythmic - drug that counteracts cardiac arrhythmia
 Anticoagulant - drug that prevents clotting of the blood;
commonly used in the treatment of thrombophlebitis and
myocardial infarction
 Antihypertensive - drug that lowers blood pressure
 Beta-adrenergic blocking agents, beta-blockers - agents
that inhibit responses to sympathetic adrenergic nerve activity,
causing a slowing of electrical conduction and heart rate and a
lowering of the pressure within the walls of the vessels; used to
treat angina pectoris and hypertension; the Greek small letter
beta is commonly used in the names of these agents (i.e., β -
blockers)
 Calcium-channel blockers - agents that inhibit the entry of
calcium ions into heart muscle cells, causing a slowing of the
heart rate, a lessening of the demand for oxygen and nutrients,
and a relaxing of the smooth muscle cells of the blood vessels
to cause dilation; used to prevent or treat angina pectoris,
some arrhythmias, and hypertension
 Cardiotonic - drug that increases the force of myocardial
contractions in the heart; commonly used to treat congestive
heart failure (CHF)
 Diuretic - drug that increases the secretion of urine; commonly
prescribed in treating hypertension
 Hypolipidemic - drug that reduces serum fat and cholesterol
 Thrombolytic agents - drugs used to dissolve thrombi (blood
clots) (e.g., streptokinase or tissue plasminogen activator [TPA
or tPA]); used in acute management of myocardial infarction
(MI) and ischemic stroke; commonly called “clot busters”
 Vasoconstrictor - drug that causes a narrowing of the blood
vessels, thereby decreasing blood flow

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