HEART HEALTH - Terms You Should Know

We translated the scary-sounding vocabulary of your cardiologist into plain English

By: Abby Lerner

Angioplasty

Angioplasty is a procedure in which a tiny device is inserted into narrowed blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. Most angioplasty procedures use a specially designed balloon catheter with a small balloon tip. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to crowd the fatty matter into the artery wall and stretch the artery open to increase blood flow to the heart.

Aortic Insufficiency

Aortic insufficiency refers specifically to the aortic valve, which is the valve the blood passes through as it leaves the heart and enters the aorta. When blood leaks back through the valve it is known as aortic insufficiency. Small amounts of aortic insufficiency are all right, but larger amounts require repair or replacement of the aortic valve.

Arrhythmia (Cardiac Arrhythmia)

An arrhythmia is a fancy term for an irregular heartbeat. It can be converted to a normal rhythm using electric shock or certain medications.

Artherosclerosis (Coronary Artery Disease)

Artherosclerosis refers to hardening of the arteries. It happens when abnormal deposits of lipids, cholesterol, and plaque build up, leading to a variety of cardiovascular problems.

Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat in which many impulses begin and spread through the upper chambers of the heart. It results in a disorganized, rapid, and irregular rhythm that cannot pump blood out of the heart efficiently. As a result, blood tends to pool in the heart chambers, increasing the risk of a blood clot forming inside the heart. The major factors that increase risk of atrial fibrillation are age, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure refers to the amount of force exerted in the arteries by circulating blood. It is further divided into systolic (when the heart contracts) and diastolic (when the heart is filling) pressures.

Bradycardia

Bradycardia is a term to describe a slow heart rate. It can be normal in athletes and other physically active people. But in others, it can be a form of cardiac arrhythmia, a heart-rate abnormality.

Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest happens when the heart suddenly stops beating and respiration (breathing) and all other systems halt as a result.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is an irregular condition in which the heart has poor pumping power (dilated), an impaired ability to fill (restrictive), and is enlarged (hypertrophic).

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty substance made by the body and found in some foods. If it accumulates within the arteries, it causes coronary artery disease.

There is good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL). Too much LDL cholesterol can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances, it can form plaque that can narrow arteries and make them less flexible. Unstable plaque can rupture, resulting in clot formation, no blood flow, and a heart attack. HDL is known as "good" cholesterol because medical experts think that it carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is passed from the body.

Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure (heart failure) is a condition where the heart muscle weakens and can't pump blood efficiently throughout the body. The result? A backup of blood in the veins leading to the heart, causing the kidney to retain fluid and the body's tissue to swell. The swelling most commonly affects the legs, but it can occur in other tissues and organs. Congestive heart failure is usually the end state of another form of heart disease such as high blood pressure or a heart attack. It's often a lifelong condition, but if the cause is treatable, congestive heart failure may go away.

Defibrillator

A defibrillator is a machine used to administer an electric shock to the heart in order to re-establish a normal heartbeat. You have probably seen one in movies or TV shows ( "Clear!") Portable defibrillators are one of the most important tools carried by ambulances, because they are the only proven way to quickly resuscitate a person who has had a cardiac arrest.

Diastolic Blood Pressure

Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure of the blood in the arteries when the heart is filling. It is the lower of the two numbers when the doctor tells you your blood pressure. For example, 120/80, where 80 is the diastolic pressure. If your diastolic blood pressure is higher than 90, you are considered to have high blood pressure or hypertension.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle (myocardium) that causes the heart cavity to become enlarged, and reduces the pumping capacity.

Echocardiogram (Echo)

An echocardiogram is a medical test that creates a moving picture outline of the heart's valves and chambers using high-frequency sound waves that come from a hand held wand placed on your chest. It is the best way to find out if you have hard-to-detect risk factors.

Electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG)

An electrocardiogram is a medical test that records the electrical activity of the heart using small electrode patches attached to the skin. It's used to detect abnormal rhythms and heart muscle damage. Doctors recommend men over thirty-five have an EKG.

Embolus

An embolus is a blood clot that moves through the blood stream. A pulmonary embolus is carried through the blood into the pulmonary artery—the main blood vessel from the heart to the lung—or one of its branches, and plugs that vessel. Risk factors include long-term bed rest or sitting on a long plane ride. Emergency treatment and a hospital stay may be necessary, but medications that thin the blood (Coumadin) usually dissolve the clot.

Endocarditis

Endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart or its valves usually caused by bacteria. It is more likely to occur in people who have heart valve defects or have had heart surgery to treat valve disease.

Fibrillation

Fibrillation is abnormally rapid, inefficient contractions of the atria or ventricles. Ventricular fibrillation is life threatening.

Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)

Heart attack is a lack of blood supply to the heart caused by a blood clot in the coronary artery. It results in permanent damage to the heart muscle.

Hypertension

Hypertension is another word for high blood pressure. Most people experience hypertension as they get older, if they gain weight, or if they're under a lot of stress. It can increase your risk for stroke, and may result in hardening of the arteries (arthrosclerosis), or even heart failure.

The best way to control hypertension is to maintain a healthy diet and exercise plan. If that's not enough, your doctor may prescribe medication.

Hypotension

Hypotension is another word for low blood pressure. Some people have low blood pressure all the time without any effect. But for others, blood pressure drops low because of some event or medical condition like dehydration, anemia, or a shocking episode. Hypotension can be dangerous if a person falls because of dizziness or fainting, and shock, a severe form of hypotension, can be fatal if not treated immediately.

All eviate symptoms of dizziness, confusion, and blurred vision by sitting down with your feet above the level of your heart. Call your doctor if symptoms don't go away in a few minutes.

Mitral Valve

The mitral valve is located between the left atrium and the right ventricle (the main pumping chamber of the heart). This valve allows blood to flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle and then prevents backflow into the left atrium.

Mitral Stenosis

Mitral stenosis is a condition where the mitral valve becomes narrowed or stenotic preventing the easy flow of blood from the left atrium into the left ventricle.

Murmur

A murmur is turbulent blood flow across a heart valve creating a "swooshing" sound if you listen with a stethoscope. Most often, a murmur is normal and a result of anxiety, exercise, or high fever. A heart murmur may indicate a structural abnormality of a heart valve or heart chamber, or it may be due to an abnormal connection between two parts of the heart.

Myocarditis

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). Most cases of myocarditis don't have symptoms and are only identified by an electrocardiogram or blood tests that detect heart injury. Myocarditis can cause irregular heartbeats, or it may potentially lead to heart failure. If you experience symptoms similar to heart attack—chest pain, irregular heartbeats, or palpitations—seek emergency assistance immediately. Damage to the heart muscle can be decreased if you act quickly, so it's better to be safe.

Palpitation

A heart palpitation is a fluttering sensation in the chest that is often related to a missed or rapid heartbeat.

Pericarditis

Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart.

Plaque

Plaque refers to fat deposits, inflammatory cells, proteins, and calcium material along the lining of arteries seen in artherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The plaque builds up and narrows the artery making it harder for blood to flow.

Stenosis

Stenosis is a narrowing or restriction of a blood vessel or valve causing reduced blood flow.

Stent

A stent is a small stainless steel mesh tube, inserted after angioplasty, which acts as a scaffold to provide support inside the coronary artery.

Systolic Pressure

Systolic blood pressure is the pressure of the blood in the arteries when the heart pumps. It is the higher of the two numbers that make up your blood pressure reading.

Tachycardia

Tachycardia is a rapid heartbeat—a rate above 90 beats per minute. Some tachycardias are relatively harmless and don't need treatment, but others can be life-threatening. Treatment for recurrent tachycardia can range from daily medication to open-heart surgery. Watch for symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, rapid heartbeat, chest pains, and visual changes. While they're not always related to tachycardia, the only way to know for sure is to have your doctor monitor your heart rhythm while these symptoms occur.

Thrombus

Thrombus is another word for a blood clot.


Source: http://www.menshealth.com/spotlight/heart/terms-you-should-know2.php