Scroll through the page to find a particular word, or click on a letter below to see words that begin with that letter. The glossary is cross-referenced, so clicking on an underlined word will bring you to its definition.

This glossary is intended for informational purposes only.Please see your health care provider with any questions about your health or your treatment.

A

Angina pectoris (angina): Commonly called “chest pain.” Angina is marked by spasms of intense pain in the chest area and a feeling of suffocation.

Aorta:One of the largest blood vessels of the heart. The aorta is the trunk from which the arterial system branches out, carrying blood away from the heart to the entire body.

Arrhythmia:An abnormal heartbeat rhythm. There are several types of arrhythmias,such as bradycardia, fibrillation, flutter and tachycardia.

Arteriosclerosis: A disease in which the body’s arteries become thicker and harder, losing their elasticity and flexibility.Arteriosclerosis often leads to hypertension.

Artery:A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. Also see aorta.

Atherosclerosis:A type of arteriosclerosis.Fatty substances called plaques build upon the inner walls of the arteries, making them hard and narrow.

Atrium (pl.atria): One of two chambers(left and right) in the upper half of the heart. The atria take in blood from the veins and pump it down to the ventricles. 

B

Bloodvessel: One of a network of tube like structures that carry blood throughout the body. See artery, capillary or vein.

Bradycardia:An abnormally slow heartbeat. Bradycardia is a type of arrhythmia.      

C

Cardiacarrest: Any instance in which the heart stops beating, temporarily or permanently.

Cardiomyopathy:A general term describing diseases of the heart muscle, such as dilatation or hypertrophy.

Chamber:One of four compartments of the heart that holds and pumps blood. See atrium or ventricle.

Cholesterol:A chemical in the cells and body fluids of animals. Too much cholesterol in the blood can cause arteriosclerosis. Also see plaque, HDL,LDL and triglyceride.

Congestive heart failure: See heart failure.

Coronary artery disease (CAD, coronary heart disease): A common form of heart disease in which the heart’s blood vessels are blocked, such as by atherosclerosis or thrombosis. The blockage results in reduced flow through the blood vessels.

Coronary bypass (CABG): A surgical procedure to divert blood flow around a blockage in the heart or its vessels.Usually, a vein is borrowed from the patient’s leg and used to create a“shortcut” from one area of the heart to another

D

Dilatation:A type of cardiomyopathy that leads to enlarged heart chambers and thinning heart walls   

E

Embolism:A blood vessel blockage created by a foreign particle circulating throughout the body. The particle iscalled anembolus (pl.emboli).     

F

Fibrillation: A very fast, irregular heartbeat (compare to flutter).Fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia and may occur in either the atria or the ventricles.

Flutter:A very fast, regular heartbeat (compare to fibrillation). Flutter is a type of arrhythmia and may occur in either the atria or the ventricles.

H

HDL (high-densitylipoprotein): Commonly called “good cholesterol.” Normal HDL levels in the blood indicate less likelihood of developing atherosclerosis. Also see cholesterol, LDLand triglyceride.

Heart failure: A condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. In congestive heart failure(CHF), a common type of heart failure, the heart cannot pump incoming blood from the veins back out quickly enough. Symptoms of CHF usually include hypertension and edema.

Hypercholesterolemia:Commonly called “high cholesterol.”Hypercholesterolemia may indicate abnormal levels of HDL, LDL or triglycerides in the blood.

Hypertension:Commonly called “high blood pressure.” Hypertension is a condition diagnosed by chronic high blood pressurei n thearteries. It can be due to family history, high stress or poor diet.

Hypertrophy:A type of cardiomyopathy in which the heart muscle, particularly the ventricle wall, thickens and grows abnormally large.  

I

Infarction:Death of body tissues or organs when a thrombus or embolus blocks blood flow. Also see myocardial infarction.

Ischemia:Lack of adequate blood flow to a specific area of tissue. In the heart, ischemia may cause angina.

L

LDL (low-density lipoprotein): Commonly called “bad cholesterol.” High LDL levels in the blood indicate an increased likelihood of developing atherosclerosis. Also see cholesterol, HDL and triglyceride.

M

Myocardial infarction (MI): Commonly called “heart attack.” MI is the permanent death of an area of heart muscle. When arteries are blocked (by atherosclerosis,emboli or thrombi), not enough blood can get to some areas of the heart; the cells in these areas die from lack of oxygen.

Myocardium:The heart muscle.       

P

Plaque: A kind of embolus that results from thec rystallization and buildup of cholesterol on the interior wall of an artery. Plaque is associated with atherosclerosis and may warn of potentially serious heart disease.

T

Tachycardia:An abnormally fast heartbeat. Tachycardia is a type of arrhythmia.

Thrombosis:The blockage of a blood vessel by a clot that forms in its interior. A thrombus (pl. thrombi) is a clot that remains in the vessel where it formed. If part of the clot breaks off and blocks another vessel, it is called athrombo embolism. Also seeembolism.

Triglyceride:A type of fat produced and stored by animals when they digest carbohydrates, such as grain products. It is present in the compounds HDL and LDL and is part of your overall cholesterol level.

Ventricle:One of two chambers (left and right) int he lower half of the heart. The ventricles take in blood from the atria and pump it into the arteries to be carried throughout the body.