A
angina — chest discomfort, a term used almost exclusively to denote angina pectoris, which is chest pain that often radiates to the arms, particularly the left.

aorta — the main artery that carries blood away from the heart.

aortic valve — a cardiac membrane that controls the flow of blood out of the heart and into the aorta.

arteries — vessels through which the blood passes away from the heart to the various parts of the body.

arrhythmia — irregular or rapid heartbeat.

atherosclerosis — a build-up of cholesterol or other fatty deposits called plaque that can occur on the inner walls of blood vessels and arteries, which in advanced stages causes restriction or blockage of the blood flow to the heart or brain.

atrial fibrillation — an irregular heartbeat that causes a fluttering sensation of the heart.

atrium — (plural of atria) one of a pair of smaller cavities in the heart from which blood passes to the ventricles.
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B
bradycardia — slowness of the heartbeat, as evidenced by slowing of the pulse rate to less than 50 beats per minute in an adult.

bundle branch block — a delay in the conduction of the electrical impulse of the heart to the ventricle.

C
cardiomyopathy — disease of the heart muscle that causes decreased functioning of the heart.

catheter — a small, plastic tube used to enter a cavity of the body. A cardiac catheter is a long, flexible tube designed especially for passage through an artery or blood vessel. Electrode catheters are long, flexible wires that can transmit electrical currents to and from the heart.

chambers — an enclosed space. The heart is divided into four chambers. The upper chambers are called the right and left atrium, and the lower chambers are called the right and left ventricle.

coronary artery disease (CAD) — atherosclerosis of the blood vessels and arteries that nourish the heart. For a detailed description, click Coronary Artery Disease.

coronary thrombosis — total blockage of the blood flow to the heart due to a blood clot in a coronary artery. Also called a heart attack or myocardial infarction.
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echocardiogram — a study of the heart with the use of ultrasound imaging.

electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) — a method for studying the heart by measuring the electrical impulses of the heart as they are detected on the surface of the body.

electrode — an adhesive patch that adheres to the skin and serves as the medium between the heart and an EKG recorder.

esophagus — the passageway that connects the mouth with the stomach.

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H
heart attack — a critical medical situation that occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked and there is death of heart muscle.

heart block — impairment of the conduction system of the heart that blocks its electrical pathways.

hemodynamic monitoring — a diagnostic study that evaluates the movement of blood circulation.

hypertension — high blood pressure that is exerted against the walls of your blood vessels as blood is pumped through the body.

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myocardial infarction — irreversible damage to the heart muscle due to a blocked coronary artery. This is sometimes referred to as an "infarct."

myocarditis — inflammation of the muscular walls of the heart.

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pericarditis — inflammation of the pericardium, which is the sac that surrounds the heart.

plaque — a combination of cholesterol, fatty deposits, cellular debris and calcium that form deposits on the inner lining of the coronary arteries, which results in Coronary Artery Disease.

prosthesis — an artificial substitute for a missing body part.

pulse — the rythmic expansion of an artery that can be felt with the finger on your wrists, neck and temple. Your pulse reflects the number of times your heart beats each minute.

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sheath — a small, plastic tube used to enter a vein or artery.

sinus node — the heart’s natural pacemaker that produces electrical impulses to keep it beating at a healthy pace. These impulses cause the heart to contract and pump blood at regular intervals.

stent — an expandable mesh tube (about one-half inch long) that is placed in an artery to maintain the free flow of blood through the vessel following an angioplasty or atherectomy.

T
tachycardia — excessive rapidity in the action of the heart; the term is usually applied to a heart rate above 100 beats per minute in an adult.

telemetry monitor — a method for measuring a patient’s vital signs from a distance, transmitted through radio signals or other means and displayed onto a monitor.

transducer — a device that translates one form of energy to another, such as during an ultrasound when high frequency sound waves are transmitted through a transducer and then converted into electrical impulses. An echocardiograph machine converts the electrical impulses into images that are displayed onto a monitor and recorded.
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ultrasound — An imaging modality that visualizes the body’s internal structures by recording the pulsating "echoes" of sound waves that are directed into the tissues.

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valve — membrane in a passage that prevents the reflux of the contents flowing through it. Cardiac valves control the flow of blood through and from the heart.

valvular stenosis — narrowing of the heart valves. The specific valve that is affected is often preceded by the word stenosis, i.e., aortic stenosis, mitral stenosis, pulmonary stenosis and tricuspid stenosis.

ventricle — a small cavity. The right and left ventricles of the heart have thick muscular walls that make up the bulk of the heart and propel blood through and from the heart.

vessel — any channel for carrying a fluid, such as blood vessels, which include arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules and veins.

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