NREMT - Cardiology
Aneurysm - The bulging out of an arterial wall at a weak point. Weaknesses in the walls are often
created by atherosclerosis. These weak points can burst and cause a person to bleed to death
What are symptoms of a heart attack? - Tight/pain in chest, fainting, nauseous, pale, damp skin,
change in blood pressure
Arteriosclerosis - A disease which results in the hardening of arteries due to thickening and loss of
elasticity. Note: It is common mistake to refer to arteriosclerosis as the calcification artery walls and
atherosclerosis as fatty plaque thickening of artery walls
Acute Myocardial infarction (AMI) - A heart attack is occurring or more succinctly death of cardiac
muscle is occurring
Angina - Squeezing or crushing like chest pain that last a few minutes at a time; associated with
the heart muscle not receiving enough blood to contract easily
Asymptomatic - Condition that presents no symptoms that are apparent to the patient
Atherosclerosis - A form of arteriosclerosis where the walls of arteries thicken due to an increase
in smooth muscle fiber and fatty deposits known as plaque.This condition is often associated with
coronary artery disease
Arrhythmias - irregular heart rhythms that are often associated with heart attacks resulting in
deaths
Bradycardia - Heart rhythm is slow, less than 60 bpm
, Cardiac Output - the volume of blood pumped through the heart in one minute, affected by the
blood pressure and heart rate.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) - Disease of the coronary arteries that causes them to narrow and
reduces blood flow to the cardiac muscle. CAD can be caused by atherosclerosis, spasms of the coronary
artery or blood clots
Disystole - The relaxation phase of the heart beat, when the ventricles open up to receive blood
from the atria
Embolus - Any debris floating through the blood stream; it could be a blood clot, or other debris
caused by an injury that breaks lose and enters the blood stream. An embolus can block an artery, and
prevent blood flow to a major organ such as the heart thus becoming an "obstruction"
Hypoperfusion syndrome (shock) - Oxygen and nutrients are not reaching the tissues of the body
as a result of poor circulation or lack of blood volume
Perfusion - Sufficient blood flow to cells or tissues
systole - contraction phase of the heart beat, specifically the ventricles as they eject blood
outward to the aorta and the lungs.
Tachycardia - Heart rhythm that is more than 100 bpm
Ventricular fibrillation - Heart muscles twitch and vibrate but do not produce an actual beat or
contraction therefore no circulation of blood occurs
Ventricular tachycardia - Heart rate is fast over an extended period, too fast to create enough
pressure to produce a pulse, this not achieving adequate circulation. Electrical impulse originate from
the ventricle.
The heart is supplied with blood by what arteries? - Coronary Arteries
Aneurysm - The bulging out of an arterial wall at a weak point. Weaknesses in the walls are often
created by atherosclerosis. These weak points can burst and cause a person to bleed to death
What are symptoms of a heart attack? - Tight/pain in chest, fainting, nauseous, pale, damp skin,
change in blood pressure
Arteriosclerosis - A disease which results in the hardening of arteries due to thickening and loss of
elasticity. Note: It is common mistake to refer to arteriosclerosis as the calcification artery walls and
atherosclerosis as fatty plaque thickening of artery walls
Acute Myocardial infarction (AMI) - A heart attack is occurring or more succinctly death of cardiac
muscle is occurring
Angina - Squeezing or crushing like chest pain that last a few minutes at a time; associated with
the heart muscle not receiving enough blood to contract easily
Asymptomatic - Condition that presents no symptoms that are apparent to the patient
Atherosclerosis - A form of arteriosclerosis where the walls of arteries thicken due to an increase
in smooth muscle fiber and fatty deposits known as plaque.This condition is often associated with
coronary artery disease
Arrhythmias - irregular heart rhythms that are often associated with heart attacks resulting in
deaths
Bradycardia - Heart rhythm is slow, less than 60 bpm
, Cardiac Output - the volume of blood pumped through the heart in one minute, affected by the
blood pressure and heart rate.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) - Disease of the coronary arteries that causes them to narrow and
reduces blood flow to the cardiac muscle. CAD can be caused by atherosclerosis, spasms of the coronary
artery or blood clots
Disystole - The relaxation phase of the heart beat, when the ventricles open up to receive blood
from the atria
Embolus - Any debris floating through the blood stream; it could be a blood clot, or other debris
caused by an injury that breaks lose and enters the blood stream. An embolus can block an artery, and
prevent blood flow to a major organ such as the heart thus becoming an "obstruction"
Hypoperfusion syndrome (shock) - Oxygen and nutrients are not reaching the tissues of the body
as a result of poor circulation or lack of blood volume
Perfusion - Sufficient blood flow to cells or tissues
systole - contraction phase of the heart beat, specifically the ventricles as they eject blood
outward to the aorta and the lungs.
Tachycardia - Heart rhythm that is more than 100 bpm
Ventricular fibrillation - Heart muscles twitch and vibrate but do not produce an actual beat or
contraction therefore no circulation of blood occurs
Ventricular tachycardia - Heart rate is fast over an extended period, too fast to create enough
pressure to produce a pulse, this not achieving adequate circulation. Electrical impulse originate from
the ventricle.
The heart is supplied with blood by what arteries? - Coronary Arteries
