AND ANSWERS
,angiogram - ANSWERSx-ray record of blood vessels (AN-je-o-gram)
angioplasty - ANSWERSsurgical repair of a blood vessel (AN-je-o-plas-te)
anoxia - ANSWERSwithout oxygen (a-NOK-se-a)
aorta - ANSWERSlargest artery in the body (a-OR-ta)
aortic stenosis - ANSWERSnarrowing of the aorta (a-OR-tik set-NO-sis)
apex of the heart - ANSWERSlower tip of the heart; bottom of the heart (A-peks of the
hart)
arrhythmia - ANSWERSirregular or abnormal heartbeat; literally without rhythm (a-
RITH-me-a)
arterial anastomosis - ANSWERSsurgical connection between two arteries (ar-TE-re-al
a-nas-to-MO-sis)
arteriography - ANSWERSx-ray recording of arteries; contrast is injected (ar-te-re-OG-
ra-fe)
arteriole - ANSWERSsmall artery (ar-TE-re-ol)
arteriosclerosis - ANSWERShardening of an artery with collection of fatty plaque (ar-te-
re-o-skle-RO-sis)
artery - ANSWERSlargest type of blood vessel; a blood vessel that carries blood away
from the heart (AR-te-re)
atherectomy - ANSWERSremoval of plaque (lipids and clots) that accumulate in the
lining of an artery (a-the-REK-to-me)
atheroma - ANSWERSmass of fatty plaque that collects in an artery (ath-er-O-ma)
atherosclerosis - ANSWERSfatty plaque deposits in the interior lining of an artery; a
form of arteriosclerosis (ath-er-o-skle-RO-sis)
atrial - ANSWERSpertaining to the atrium (upper chamber of the heart) (A-tre-al)
,atrioventricular bundle - ANSWERSfailure of proper conduction of impulses from the SA
node through the AV node to atrioventricular bundle (bundle of His) (a-tre-o-ven-TRIK-
u-lar BUN-dl)
atrioventricular node - ANSWERSspecialized tissue in walls between the atria; electrical
impulses pass from the sino-atrial node (pacemaker) though the atrioventricular node
and atrioventricular bundle (bundle of His) toward the ventricles
(a-tre-o-ven-TRIK-u-lar nod)
atrium (atria pl) - ANSWERSone of two upper chambers of the heart (A-tre-um; A-tre-a)
brachial artery - ANSWERSartery that carries blood to the arm (BRA-ke-al AR-te-re)
bradycardia - ANSWERSslow heartbeat (brad-e-KAR-de-a)
bundle of His - ANSWERSatrioventricular bundle; a bundle of modified heart muscle
that transmits the cardiac impulse from the atrioventricular node to the ventricles
causing them to contract (BUN-dl of Hiss)
capillary - ANSWERSsmallest type of blood vessel (KAP-i-lar-e)
carbon dioxide - ANSWERSgas produced in issue cells when oxygen and food
combine; exhaled through the lungs (KAR-bon di-OK-sid)
cardiogenic shock - ANSWERScirculatory failure due to poor heart function (kar-de-o-
JEN-ik shok)
cardiomegaly - ANSWERSenlargement of the heart (kar-de-o-MEG-a-le)
cardiomyopathy - ANSWERSdisease of the heart muscle (ear-de-o-mi-OP-a-the)
coronary arteries - ANSWERSbranches of the aorta bringing oxygen right blood to the
heart muscle
(KOR-o-nar-e AR-te-rez)
cyanosis - ANSWERSabnormal condition of bluish coloration of the skin (si-a-NO-sis)
deoxygenated blood - ANSWERSblood that is oxygen-poor (de-OK-si-je-NA-ted blud)
diastole - ANSWERSRelaxation of the heart; relaxation (di-AS-to-le)
electrocardiogram - ANSWERSrecord of the electrical activity of the heart (e-lek-tro-
KAR-de-o-gram)
endocardium - ANSWERSinner lining of the heart (en-do-KAR-de-um)
, endothelium - ANSWERSthe specialized epithelial tissue that lines the blood and lymph
vessels, body cavities, glands, and organs; innermost lining of blood vessels (en-do-
THE-le-um)
hypercholesterolemia - ANSWERSexcessive/high levels of cholesterol in the blood (hi-
per-ko-les-ter-ol-E-me-a)
hypoxia - ANSWERSdeficiency of oxygen in tissues (hi-POK-se-a)
interventricular septum - ANSWERSwall between the ventricles of the heart (in-ter-ven-
TRIK-u-lar SEP-tum)
mitral valve - ANSWERSvalue between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart;
prevents the blood in the ventricle from returning to the atrium; alternative name is
bicuspid valve (MI-tral valv)
mitral valvulitis - ANSWERSinflammation of the mitral valve (MI-tral val-vu-LI-tis)
myocardium - ANSWERSThick middle muscle layer of the heart; heart muscle (mi-o-
KAR-de-um)
myxoma - ANSWERSbenign tumor the connective tissue in the heart tissue; these rare
tumors occur most frequently in the left atrium. (mik-SO-ma)
normal sinus rhythm - ANSWERSnormal heart rhythm originating in the sinoatrial node;
usually 60 to 100 beats per minute (NOR-mal SI-nus RI-them)
oxygen - ANSWERSgas inhaled and entering the bloodstream through the lungs (OK-
si-jen)
pacemaker - ANSWERSspecialized nervous tissue (sinoatrial node) in the right atrial
wall; it beings the heart beat; a device that delivers electrical impulses to the heart to
regulate the heartbeat (PAS-ma-ker)
pericardiocentesis - ANSWERSsurgical puncture to remove fluid within the pericardial
space surrounding the heart
(per-i-kar-de-o-sen-TE-sis)
pericardium - ANSWERSDouble-layered membrane surrounding the heart (per-i-KAR-
de-um)
phlebotomy - ANSWERSincision of a vein (for the removal of blood); incision of a vein
(fle-BOT-o-me)
pulmonary artery - ANSWERSblood vessel carrying oxygen poor blood from the right
ventricle of the heart to the lungs (PUL-mo-ner-e AR-ter-e)