A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M -
N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

A

Aneurysm
A sac or out-pouching of the walls of an artery or vein filled with blood.

Angina
A type of pain usually described as choking, squeezing, or suffocating, usually present in the chest, throat, jaw, shoulders, arms or elbows. Most commonly associated with blockage of the heart arteries.

Angiography
A test to determine the severity and location of blocked arteries of any part of the body, particularly the heart arteries.

Angioplasty
Balloon technique to open the blocked arteries with balloons inserted from outside the body (see PTCA)

Arrhythmia
A change in the rhythm of the heart beat. This may manifest as the heart beat being too slow, too rapid, or irregular in rhythm.

Atherectomy
Technique similar to balloon angioplasty, but which uses devices to remove the blocking material from the heart arteries.

Atrial fibrillation
A type of cardiac arrhythmia during which the atria (i.e. the top chambers of the heart) beat in an uncoordinated and disorganized fashion thus leading to a very irregular and fast rhythm.

B

Balloon Pump
A device inserted from outside the body and placed in the aorta temporary to reduce heart work load during the time of threatened heart attack, balloon intervention, or heart surgery.

Blood Pressure
Pressure of the blood on the walls of the arteries of the body, this depends upon the strength of the heart, contraction, the elasticity of the walls of the arteries, and total blood volume.

Anticoagulants ("Blood Thinners")
Drugs given by mouth or by vein to reduce the capacity of the blood to form blood clots.

Bradycardia
A type of arrhythmia during which the heart beats in a slow rhythm.

C

CABG
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery. First used in 1967 to "bypass" blocked heart arteries using segments of the patients own veins or chest arteries.

Cardiac Arrest
Complete cessation of effective heart action, which progresses to death if not treated promptly.

Cardiac Catheterization
Procedure to diagnose the type and severity of heart disease measuring pressures inside heart chambers and using X-rays to visualize heart chambers, and heart arteries.

Cardiac Rehabilitation
Supervised exercise and education after heart attack, heart surgery, or other procedures to improve the patient's functional capacity and risk profile.

Clogged Arteries
Another term for coronary artery disease in which arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle are partially or completely blocked by collections of cholesterol and abnormal blood cells in the artery walls.

Congenital Heart Disease
Abnormalities of cardiac structure or function present at birth.

E

EKG
Electrocardiogram. A test utilized to assess heart rhythm and function by measuring the electrical patterns present on the surface of the body.

Electrophysiology Study (EPS:
A test utilized to find out from where the cardiac arrhythmia originates within the heart and what may be done to control or cure it. It requires percutaneous insertion (through a vein in the groin) of the diagnostic catheters in the heart and is performed under local anesthesia.

H

Heart Attack/Myocardial Infarction
Caused by sudden blockage of a heart artery with blood clot leading to progressive muscle injury over the next 6-12 hours. This is a medical emergency requiring early treatment to minimize heart damage.

Heart Failure
The result of weakening of heart muscle from one of many causes which results in inadequate supply of blood to the body and often build-up of fluid in the lungs.

Heart Murmur
Sounds heard through a stethoscope which are caused by turbulent flow of blood across heart valves, often, but not always, representing congenital or acquired abnormalities of the valves.

Hypertension
Abnormally elevated blood pressure which can result in coronary artery disease, kidney failure, strokes, or other complications if left untreated over many years.

O

Open Heart Surgery
Heart procedures such as coronary artery bypass graft surgery and valve replacement surgery, which require incision through the chest wall, opening of the heart chambers, and usually use of heart-lung bypass machine.

P

Peripheral Vascular Disease
Partial or complete blockage of the arteries supplying blood to other body organs including extremities, kidneys, intestines, and brain. Essentially the same disease process which causes blockage of heart arteries.

R

Risk Factors
Medical, genetic, environmental or other conditions which are known to increase the risk of the development of a second disease. For example diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all risk factors for later development of coronary artery disease.

S

Sick Sinus Syndrome
A condition during which the sinus node (i.e. the natural intrinsic pacemaker of the heart), becomes dysfunctional, thus leading to the various cardiac arrhythmias.

Stress Test
A type of non-invasive test using graded exercise or medication to increase blood pressure and heart rate and determine the response of the patients heart.

Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
A rapid heart beat that originates in the upper chambers of the heart. Curable condition by RF catheter ablation.

Syncope
Temporary loss of consciousness that results from various medical conditions affecting the cardiovascular or neurological system. Black-out spell that may be caused by to cardiac arrhythmias in others.

V

Valve Repair
A surgical technique to reconstruct a poorly functioning heart valve.

Valve Replacement
Surgical technique to remove a poorly functioning heart valve and replace it with a mechanical device.

Ventricular Tachycardia (VT)
A rapid heart beat that originates in the lower chambers of the heart.

W

Wolff-Parkinson White (WPW) Syndrome
A congenital condition during which there is an abnormal tissue connection (accessory pathway) between the top and the lower cardiac chambers. This may lead to supraventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. A curable condition by RF catheter ablation.

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