1. Abrasion: A cut or scrape that typically isn’t serious.

2. Abscess: A tender, fluid-filled pocket that forms in tissue, usually due to infection.

3. Acute: Signifies a condition that begins abruptly and is sometimes severe, but the duration is short.

4. Benign: Not cancerous.

5. Biopsy: A small sample of tissue that’s taken for testing.

6. Chronic: Signifies a recurring, persistent condition like heart disease.

7. Contusion: A bruise.

8. Defibrillator: A medical device that uses electric shocks to restore normal heartbeat.

9. Edema: Swelling caused by fluid accumulation.

10. Embolism: An arterial blockage, often caused by a blood clot.

11. Epidermis: The outer layer of the skin.

12. Fracture: Broken bone or cartilage.

13. Gland: An organ or tissue that produces and secretes fluids that serve a specific function.

14. Hypertension: High blood pressure.

15. Inpatient: A patient who requires hospitalization.

16. Intravenous: Indicates medication or fluid that’s delivered by vein.

17. Malignant: Indicates the presence of cancerous cells.

18. Outpatient: A patient who receives care without being admitted to a hospital.

19. Prognosis: The predicated outcome of disease progression and treatment.

20. Relapse: Return of disease or symptoms after a patient has recovered.

21. Sutures: Stitches, which are used to join tissues together as they heal.

22. Transplant: The removal of an organ or tissue from one body that is implanted into another.

23. Vaccine: A substance that stimulates antibody production to provide immunity against disease.

24. Zoonotic disease: A disease that is transmissible from animals to humans.

Cardiology Cardi refers to the heart .

-ology refers to the study of.

Cardiology is the study of the disorders of the heart.

Cardiologist Cardi refers to the heart.

-ologist refers to one who studies.

A cardiologist specializes in disorders of the heart. A cardiologist can order and interpret the test. A
cardiologist can advise the patient of their option.

Interventional cardiologist An interventional cardiologist is a sub-specialty of cardiologists that can

perform advanced cardiac procedures such as catheter-based procedures.

Cardiac surgeonA cardiac surgeon can perform major procedures on the heart and the vessels.

Electrophysiologist Electr(o) refers to electricity.

physi(o) means related to physiology.

-ologist refers to one who studies.

Physiology is the study of the science and processes of the human body.

Electrophysiology deals with the relationship between electrical phenomena and biological function.

An electrophysiologist is a person who works with the body’s electrical and biological functions.

Electrophysiologist cardiologist An electrophysiologist cardiologist studies the heart electrical impulses.

The Structure and Function of the Cardiovascular System

The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels. All the structures of the chest are not
a part of the cardiovascular system. However, it is important to know the structures and learn the
anatomical landmarks of the chest.

Landmarks help understand how the heart is positioned and situated in the chest. Check out the article
Nursing Assessment of the Cardiovascular System to learn about the different landmarks related to the
cardiovascular system.

Remember, not all terms used for medical terminology use a prefix, word root, combining vowel or a
suffix. But they are still used for the medical terminology of the cardiovascular system.
TERM DEFINITION

The Angle of Louis It is believed that the Angle of Louis is named after a French physician named
Pierre Charles Alexandre Louis.

The Angle of Louis is the point between the manubrium and the sternum.

Apex Apex means top or summits; however, it is the lowest part of the heart.

Atrium Atri(o) refers to the atrium.

Atria is the plural form of atrium.

An atrium is a cavity or chamber. The atrium of the heart is one of the top chambers of the heart.

Base The base of the heart is opposite the apex of the heart. This is the top portion of the heart.

Carotid Carotid refer to the arteries of the neck that supply blood to the head and neck.

Endocardium Endo- refers to within.

Cardium refers to the heart.

The endocardium is the innermost layer of the heart.

Epicardium Epi- refers to above or outer.

Cardium refers to the heart.

The epicardium is the outer layer of the heart.

Intercostal Inter- refers to between.

Costal means pertaining to the ribs.

Intercostal refers to the spaces between the ribs.

Jugular A term related to the throat.

The jugular vein is a large vein in the throat.

Manubrium The manubrium is the upper portion of the sternum. One of the three bones of the
sternum.

Mediastinum Media- refers to middle or midway.

Mediastina refer to the mediastinum.

The mediastinum is a portion of the thoracic cavity in the middle of the thorax, which houses the heart,
trachea, esophagus and major blood vessels.

Myocardium My(o) refers to muscle.

Cardium refers to the heart.

The myocardium is the middle muscular layer of the heart.

Pericardium Peri- means around.

Cardium refers to the heart.

The pericardium is a thin sac that surrounds the heart.

Point of maximal impulse The point of maximal impulse is a site on the chest wall located at the
5th intercostal space midclavicular line in which you can palpate and auscultate the apical pulse.

Septum Septa is plural for the septum.

The septum is a partition or wall that separates the right and the left side of the heart.

Sternal The term sternal pertains to the sternum. It is also a suffix meaning sternum.

The sternum is a flat bone located in the upper anterior portion of the chest.

Thorax Thorax refers to the chest.

-thoracic is a suffix meaning the chest.

The Thorax is the upper part of the trunk which contains the heart and lungs.

The plural forms are thoraxes, thoraces.

Ventricles A ventricle is a cavity located at the bottom of the heart.

Ventricular pertains to the ventricle.

Blood Flow of the Cardiovascular System

Medical Terminology of the Cardiovascular System Blood Flow

TERM DEFINITION

Aorta The aorta is a major portion of the arterial circulation which branches off the left ventricle and
carries oxygenated blood to the circulation.

Artery Arter(o) refers to the artery.

An artery is one of the large blood vessels carrying blood away from the heart.
Arterial Arteri(o) refers to the artery.

Arterial means pertaining to the arteries.

Arterioles Arterioles mean little artery.

Arteriovenous Arteri(o) refers to the arteries.

Venous refers to the veins.

Arteriovenous refers to the arteries and the veins.

Atrioventricular Atri(o) refers to the atrium.

Ventricular refers to the ventricles.

Atrioventricular is a connection between the atrium and the ventricles, electrical or anatomical.

Capillary Capillary is a Latin word meaning hairlike.

A capillary is one of the microscopic blood vessels.

Coronary The term coronary refers to encircling structures.

The coronary arteries refer to the arteries that branch off the aorta and encircle and supply the heart.

Intravascular Intra- refers to the middle.

Vascular refers to the blood vessels.

Intravascular means inside the blood vessels.

Inferior vena cava Inferior means lower or situated below a given point.

Vena refers to a vein.

Cava refers to a cavity.

Inferior vena cava is a large vein that brings deoxygenated blood from the lower part of the body to the
heart.

Semilunar valves Semi- refers to half.

Luna refers to the moon.

A valve is a structure which prevents the backflow of fluids that pass through it.

-valve is also a suffix meaning a thing that regulates the flow of.
Semilunar valves are valves in which the cusps are shaped like half moons, such as the pulmonary and
aortic valve that keep the flow of blood in one direction.

Superior vena cava Superior means higher or situated above a given point.

Vena refers to a vein.

Cava refers to a cavity.

The superior vena cava is a large vein that brings deoxygenated blood from the upper half of the body to
the heart.

Valve -valve is also a suffix meaning a thing that regulates the flow of.

A valve is a structure which prevents the backflow of fluids which pass through it.

Vascular The term vascular means blood vessels.

Vein Ven(o) refers to a vein.

A vein is a blood vessel that collects blood from the capillaries and carries it back to the heart.

Venule Venule means small vein.

A venule is one of the small blood vessels that collect blood from the capillary.

Conduction System of the Cardiovascular System

Medical Terminology of thee Cardiovascular System Conduction System

TERM DEFINITION

Afterload Afterload is the resistance which the left ventricle has to pump.

Automaticity Automaticity is the property of the specialized cells of the heart that allows them to self-
activate.

Cardiac output Cardiac output is the amount of blood ejected by the heart with each heartbeat.

Contractility Contractility is the ability of muscle tissue to contract.

Diastole Dia- refers to apart or through.

-stole is a suffix meaning contraction.

-diastole is also a suffix meaning period of dilation of the heart.

Diastole is the period between contractions or the resting period of the heart when the ventricles are
filling or dilating.
Diastolic Diastolic pertains to diastole or the blood pressure during the relaxation of the heart.

Electrocardiograph (ECG) Electr(o) refers to electric.

Cardi(o) refers to the heart.

-graph is a suffix meaning product of a drawing, writing or recording.

An electrocardiograph, also known as an ECG is used to record the electrical activity of the heart.

Electrocardiogram Electr(o) refers to electric.

-gram means a drawing or a written record.

Cardi(o) refers to the heart.

An electrocardiogram is a record produced by the electrocardiography.

Preload Preload is the stretch of the muscle fibers at end diastole.

Systole Sy- means an association.

-stole is a suffix meaning contraction.

-systole means type and location of a higher blood pressure measurement.

Systole means the contraction of the heart.

Systolic Systolic is the pressure created when the ventricles contract. This is the top reading of the blood
pressure.

Diagnostic Studies of the Cardiovascular System

TERM DEFINITION

Doppler echocardiography An echo is the reflection of an ultrasound wave off a structure which is
sent back to the transducer.

Cardi(o) refers to the heart.

-graphy means the process of recording.

A Doppler echocardiography uses Doppler ultrasonography to evaluate blood flow patterns and
directions in the heart and records them.

Doppler ultrasonography Ultra means beyond, farther.

Ultrasound is high-frequency sound waves.

A Doppler ultrasonography uses ultrasound imaging to look at the structures and blood flow of the
beating heart.

Echocardiography Echo is the reflection of an ultrasound wave off a structure back to the
transducer.

Cardi(o) means heart.

-graphy refers to the process of recording.

A echocardiography is a noninvasive diagnostic procedure used to record the movement and structure
of the heart.

Echocardiogram Echo is the reflection of an ultrasound wave off a structure back to the
transducer.

Cardi(o) means heart.

-gram means a drawing or a written record.

An echocardiogram is a graphic reading of the heart movement from an ultrasonography.

Electrophysiology study (EPS) Electr(o) refers to electricity.

Physi(o) means related to physiology.

Physiology is the study of the science and processes of the human body.

Electrophysiology deals with the relationship between electrical phenomena and biological function.

An EPS study is a procedure that uses electrode catheters to pace the heart and sometimes induce an
arrhythmia to detect problems with the conduction system of the heart.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Magnetic means lodestone.

Resonance means to sound again.

Imaging means image.

An MRI is a procedure used to produce an image by the creation of a magnetic field to give detailed
information about the cardiovascular system.

Tomography Tomo- refers to the preparation of a section.

-graphy refers to the process of recording.

A tomography is a sectional imaging to produce a film with a detailed cross-section of tissue and organs.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) Trans- refers to through.

Esophageal refers to the esophagus.

Electrocardiography is a noninvasive diagnostic procedure used to study the movement and structure of
the heart.

A transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an ultrasound using an endoscope that views the heart
from a retrocardiac vantage point. That is the endoscope is passed down the esophagus.

Ultrasound Ultra means beyond, farther.

Ultrasound is high-frequency sound waves.

Ultrasound imaging is the process of using high frequency sounds waves to visualize internal structures.

Procedures of the Cardiovascular System

TERM DEFINITION

Cardiac catheterization Cardiac refers to the heart.

A catheterization is the introduction of a catheter into a body cavity.

A cardiac catheterization is the introduction of the catheter through an incision into a large vein and
guided through circulation into the heart.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) Cardi(o) refers to the heart.

Pulmonary refers to the lungs or the respiratory system.

Resuscitate means to revive. Resuscitation is a process to sustain the cardiac and respiratory functions.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure that involves external cardiac massage and
artificial respirations to revive and sustain the cardiac and respiratory function.

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) The term coronary pertains to encircling structures.

An artery is one of the large blood vessels carrying blood away from the heart.

A bypass is one of several surgical procedures used to shunt blood or fluids from its natural course.

A graft is a tissue or an organ taken from one site or person and connected to a different site or inserted
into another person.

A CABG is an open heart surgery in which a vein is taken from a different part of the body (saphenous or
mammary) and grafted into a section of a coronary artery to bypass a blockage.
Defibrillation De- is a prefix meaning to do the opposite, away, off, to remove entirely, down and
from.

Fibril means small fibers.

Fibrillate means the contraction of a single muscle fiber that is repetitive.

Defibrillate means to stop the ventricles from fibrillating by delivering an electrical shock.

Endarterectomy End- refers to within.

Arter(o) refers to the artery.

-ectomy means surgical removal

An endarterectomy is the surgical removal of the intimal lining of an artery.

Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) Per- refers to through.

-cutaneous refers to skin

Trans- refers to across.

Coron(o) refers to the heart

-ary refers to pertaining to

Angi(o) refers to a vessel.

-plasty refers to surgical repair

A PTCA is a procedure in which a catheter is threaded through the vessel and a balloon is inflated in the
treatment of atherosclerotic heart disease in the coronary arteries.

Pericardiocentesis Peri- refers to around.

Cardi(o) refers to the heart.

-centesis refers to puncture

A pericardiocentesis is a procedure used to aspirate fluid which has accumulated in the pericardial
spaces.

Thoracotomy Thorac(o) refers to chest.

-otomy refers to cutting into

A thoracotomy is a surgical opening into the thoracic cavity.

Thoracentesis Thora refers to chest.

-centesis refers to puncture

A thoracentesis is the perforation of the chest wall or pleural space with a needle to aspirate fluid.

Transplantation Transplantation is the transfer of tissue or an organ from one person to another or one
organism to another.