CV Essentials for Ambulatory Nurses – Foundations-Handout: Nurse CV Terminology (texasheart.org)

Handout: Nurse CV Terminology (texasheart.org)

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This document provides definitions for various medical terms related to the cardiovascular system. Some of the key terms include:<br /><br />- Ablation: The elimination or removal of something, in this context, it refers to a medical procedure to remove a tissue or cells.<br />- Aneurysm: A sac-like protrusion from a blood vessel or the heart caused by weakening of the vessel wall or heart muscle.<br />- Angina or angina pectoris: Chest pain that occurs when there is restricted blood flow to the heart.<br />- Angiography: An x-ray procedure done after injecting dye into the chambers of the heart or the coronary arteries.<br />- Angioplasty: A non-surgical procedure to temporarily inflate a balloon inside an artery to treat diseased vessels.<br />- Aorta: The largest artery in the body that carries blood from the heart to other arteries.<br />- Arteriosclerosis: The hardening of the arteries, leading to thickening and loss of elasticity in artery walls.<br />- Atherosclerosis: A disease process that causes plaque buildup inside blood vessels.<br />- Arrhythmia (dysrhythmia): An abnormal heartbeat.<br />- Bypass: A surgical procedure to create a new path for blood flow, bypassing a clogged or diseased section of an artery.<br />- Capillaries: Tiny blood vessels that distribute oxygen-rich blood to the body's tissues.<br />- Cardiac Arrest: The stopping of the heart.<br />- Cardiomyopathy: A disease of the heart muscle that leads to a deterioration in its pumping ability.<br />- Cardiovascular Disease (CVD): A general term referring to conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels.<br />- Coronary Arteries: Arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle.<br />- Cyanosis: Blueness of the skin caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood.<br />- Hypertension: High blood pressure.<br />- Myocardial Infarction (MI): A heart attack, resulting from a blocked blood supply to the heart muscle.<br />- Pacemaker: A device surgically implanted to regulate the heartbeat.<br />- Stent: A device made of expandable metal mesh that is placed in a narrowed artery to keep it open.<br /><br />These are just a few examples of the terms covered in the document. Each term is defined briefly, providing a basic understanding of its meaning in the context of cardiovascular health.

Keywords

cardiovascular

ablation

aneurysm

angina

angiography

angioplasty

arteriosclerosis

atherosclerosis

arrhythmia

myocardial infarction