Glossary of Cardiac Terms

ANGINA PECTORIS: Chest pain resulting from a lack of blood supply to the heart muscle. The pain is usually distinctive in nature, location, and radiation (that is, it isn't normally a general feeling of pain, and the pain sufferer can pinpoint it to a specific location). Angina may be brought on by emotional stress or physical activity.

ANGIOPLASTY: Altering the structure of a blood vessel either by a surgical procedure or by opening up the vessel using a balloon-like device attached to a catheter (see CATHETER).

ANGIOPLASTY, TRANSLUMINAL, PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY (PTCA): A process that opens up a blocked coronary artery by means of a balloon catheter (see CATHETER) to restore blood supply.

ANTICOAGULANTS: Drugs that prevent the formation of blood clots.

ARRYTHMIA: Any deviation from normal heart rhythm.

ARTERIES: Vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to parts of the body.

ATHERECTOMY: A procedure in which the build up of fatty material, or plaque, is cut away from the coronary artery by a cutting or rotating catheter (see CATHETER).

ARTERIOSCLEROTIC PLAQUE: A patch of fatty material in the lining of the blood vessels.

CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS: Conditions or characteristics that make an individual more likely to develop cardiovascular disease or speed up its progression. They include, but are not limited to, family history, smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and diabetes mellitus.

CATHETER: A hollow, flexible tube that is inserted into the body.

CATHETERS, VASCULAR: Catheters (see CATHETER) designed for insertion into the blood vessels for various purposes.

CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS: Surgical procedure for restoring blood flow to the heart when it has been restricted as a result of coronary artery disease. The surgery is performed by grafting a section of saphenous (suh-FEE-nuhs) vein (found in the leg), internal mammary artery (found in the chest), or radial artery (found in the forearm) between the aorta of the heart and the obstructed coronary artery.

CORONARY ARTERIES: Blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood.

ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY: The use of ultrasonic waves (an ultrasound) to visualize the size, movement, chambers, valves and surrounding tissues of the heart.

ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY: The graphic recording and study of the electrical currents generated by the heart.

ELECTROLYTES: Substances that break apart into electrically charged particles when placed in a solution. These ions play an important role in regulating body processes.

ENDOSCOPIC SAPHENOUS VEIN HARVESTING: A minimally invasive procedure (see MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURE) to remove a section of the greater saphenous (suh-FEE-nuhs) vein (found in the leg) to be used for a coronary artery bypass graft.

ENZYMES: Complex proteins capable of causing chemical reactions or changes in other substances without being changed or altered in the process.

HEART CATHETERIZATION: A procedure in which a catheter (see CATHETER) is passed into the heart chambers and vessels to measure pressures, to determine if blockages exist in the coronary arteries, and to learn how effectively the heart pumps blood.

INVASIVE PROCEDURES: Medical procedure in which a body cavity is entered, for example, by use of a tube, needle, device, or even radiation. (See also MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURE.)

ISCHEMIA, MYOCARDIAL: A lack of blood supply to the heart muscle.

MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURES: Diagnostic or surgical procedure that allows the smallest possible degree of cutting, blood loss and trauma to the patient. (See also INVASIVE PROCEDURE.)

NITROGLYCERIN: A drug that acts to open up blood vessels and is used in the treatment of angina.

PULSE: The rhythmic beating in the arteries, caused by the contractions of the heart.

PTCA: See ANGIOPLASTY, TRANSLUMINAL, PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY.

STENT: A mesh-like device that is inserted into a blood vessel to provide support, keep the vessel open and unblocked and enhance blood flow.

VEINS: Vessels that carry blood back to the heart.