Medical Terminology Unit 6 Cardiovascular System

Unit 6: Cardiovascular System Functions of the Cardiovascular System: ● Contains the heart, which transports nutrients, oxygen, waste, heat, hormones and immune cells throughout the body ● The heart essentially acts a pump to maintain body pressure ● Arteries carry blood away from the heart; veins carry blood back to the heart ○ The aorta is the body’s largest artery ● The high blood pressure caused by ventricular contraction is systolic blood pressure; when the ventricles relax, the corresponding blood pressure is diastolic blood pressure Characteristics/Body Parts of the Cardiovascular system: ● Heart is situated in mediastinal cavity between the lungs ● Heart is nestled in a double-walled sac called the pericardium ● Heart has three layers: epicardium (outer layer), myocardium (middle muscular layer), endocardium (innermost layer) ● Heart is divided by the septum, a thin inner partition ● The upper chambers of the heart are called superior atria (for low pressure); lower chambers are called inferior ventricles ○ Ventricles are heart pumps and have muscular walls Word Parts: PREFIXES MEANING a-, an- Not, without anti- against brady- slow dia- Through; complete echo- Reflected sound em- in endo- In, within epi- On, over, upon hyper- Above, above normal, excessive hypo- Below, below normal, deficient per- through peri- Around, surrounding trans- across ROOTS angi/o Vessel (blood) aort/o aorta arteri/o artery arteri/o Arteriole (small artery) ather/o Plaque; fatty buildup bol/o Cast, throw cardi/o heart coagul/o Coagulation (clotting) constrict/o narrowing coron/o heart cyan/o blue dilat/o To enlarge/expand electr/o electricity my/o muscle phleb/o vein pulmon/o lung rhythm/o Rhythm; heartbeat septo/o Wall; partition son/o sound sphygm/o pulse systol/o contraction thromb/o clot vas/o Vessel; duct vascul/o Blood vessel ven/i, ven/o vein ventricul/o ventricle venul/o Venule (small vein) SUFFIXES -ac, -al, -ary, -ic, - Pertaining to ous -ation Process; condition -ant Substance that produces -e Noun suffix with no meaning -emic Pertaining to blood condition -ia condition -in, -ine chemical, chemical compound; substance -ism Process; condition -ive Substance that promotes -lytic Pertaining to break down -or One who (or something that) takes action or does something -osis Abnormal condition -pathy disease -trophy Condition of growth or development -sclerosis Hardening; thickening -stenosis Narrowing; tightening -um, -us Structure; tissue; thing -version To turn ● STOP! Have you learned the word parts for this unit? Knowing them will help you know the meaning of some of the following words. ● Most of the words can be understood using word parts, but others need to be memorized. Heart Diseases and Conditions: 1. Angina - chest pain 2. Cardiac tamponade - heart pressure caused by pericardial fluid 3. Cardiomyopathy - heart muscle disease 4. Congestive heart failure (CHF) - heart unable to pump required blood amount 5. Endocarditis - inflammation of inner heart lining (endocardium) 6. Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) - inner mitral valve closure 7. Murmur - abnormal heart sound 8. Myocarditis - heart muscle inflammation 9. Myocardial infarction - heart attack 10. Pericarditis - inflammation of enclosing heart membrane (pericardium) Vascular Diseases and Conditions: 1. Aneurysm - weakened arterial wall ballooning 2. Arteriostenosis - abnormal narrowing of the arteries 3. Atherosclerosis - abnormal hardening of the arteries 4. Coronary artery diseases (CAD) - surrounding heart artery disease 5. Embolus - clot that breaks loose, travels through bloodstream 6. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) - partial/total artery blockage, usually in arteries leading to the leg/arm 7. Varicose veins - swollen/twisted vein with defective valves Terminology Related to Vital Veins: 1. Bradycardia - slow heart rate 2. Tachycardia - fast heart rate 3. Hypertension (HTN) - high blood pressure 4. Hypotension - low blood pressure Heart Rhythm Disturbances: 1. Arrhythmia - irregular heartbeat 2. Fibrillation - irregular heart contraction 3. Flutter - rapid/irregular contractions 4. Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) - ventricular contraction preceding normal pulse initiated by stroke Cardiovascular Diagnostic Tests/Procedures: 1. Angiogram - blood vessel radiographic visualization 2. Auscultation - listening to body sounds 3. Cardiac catheterization - thin/flexible tube guided into vein/artery 4. Echocardiogram - record of heart using sounds 5. Electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG) - record of heart-electrical activity 6. Holter Monitor (Portable Electrocardiograph) - worn by ambulatory patients; monitor heart rates/rhythm for 24 hours Cardiovascular Surgical & Therapeutic Procedures: 1. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) - surgical technique brining new blood supply to heart muscle, detouring blocked arteries 2. Defibrillation - use of electric shock to restore heart’s normal rhythm 3. Endarterectomy - surgical plaque removal from artery inner layer 4. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) - opens up blocked coronary arteries to allow blood circulate normally once again