Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| slow heart rate, fast heart rate |
|
Definition
| Bradycardia () tachycardia () |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| x-raying, and the X-ray image of an artery |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| X-ray of veins), inflammation of veins |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
to stop bleeding,
(a clamp-like instrument for stopping bleeding) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
low oxygen
(blood in the uterine tubes) |
|
Definition
Hypoxemia (),
hematosalpinx |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – Literally, “hardening of the fatty stuff.” High fat diets can lead to formation of fatty plaques lining blood vessels. These fatty areas can become calcified and hard leading to arteriosclerosis, hardening of the arteries. When blood vessels become less stretchable, blood pressure rises and can result in heart and kidney damage and strokes. Double cheese bacon burger, anybody? |
|
|
Term
| Myocardial infarction (MI) |
|
Definition
| – You know we are talking about heart muscle, right, myocardial? An infarction is blockage of blood flow resulting in death of muscle tissue. Layman’s language for this is a “heart attack.” The blockage occurs in one of the arteries of the heart muscle itself, a coronary artery. Depending upon how much tissue dies, a victim of an MI may survive and undergo cardiac rehabilitation, strengthening the remaining heart muscle, or may die if too much muscle tissue is destroyed. Did you exercise at the gym this week? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| blockage of blood flow resulting in death of muscle tissue |
|
|
Term
| Mitral prolapse, stenosis, regurgitation |
|
Definition
| – Blood flows through four chambers in the heart separated by one-way valves. A major valve is the one separating the upper and lower chambers on the left side of the heart. The left side is especially important because freshly oxygenated blood returning from the lungs is circulated out of the heart to the rest of the body. The left valve, called atrioventricular, for the chambers it separates, is also called the mitral valve, because it is shaped like an upside down Bishop’s hat, a miter. If the flaps of this valve tear away due to disease, the process is called prolapse, “a falling forward.” This results in leakage and backward flow called “regurgitation” (get the picture?). Sometimes a valve is abnormally narrow causing partial obstruction constricting flow. Stenosis means “a narrowing.” |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| miter, as in matral valve |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – Literally, “pain in the chest.” But, this is a special kind of pain associated with the heart and is distinctive as “crushing, vise-like”, and often accompanied by shortness of breath, fatigue and nausea. Anginal pain indicates not enough blood is getting to the heart muscle, and the heart is protesting and begging for more. People with a history of angina often take nitroglycerine tablets to relieve the pain by increasing blood flow to the heart muscle. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – Abnormal heart rates and rhythms all have special names like ventricular tachycardia, fibrillation, but generically are termed arrhythmias or dysrhythmia, meaning “no rhythm” and “abnormal rhythm.” There are fine distinctions between the two, but they are often used interchangeably. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – Sometimes the heart muscle is not getting enough blood flow, more importantly, the oxygen the blood carries is insufficient to sustain muscle which has a very high metabolic rate, and oxygen demand. The term loosely means “not quite enough blood.” Typically, the patient suffers angina pain (see above) and they may think they are having a heart attack. And, they may be! |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – a physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the circulatory system, especially, the heart. However, after diagnosis, he/she may refer to a cardiovascular surgeon. A cardiologist does not do surgery. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – a physician specializing in diseases of the blood. |
|
|
Term
| Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG |
|
Definition
| ) – a printout recording of the electrical activity of the heart. A frequently used instrument in the hands of a cardiologist. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – using ultra high frequency sound waves (beyond human hearing), similar to “sonar,” to form an image of the inside of the heart. This procedure can demonstrate valve damage, congenital (before birth) defects and other abnormalities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – a long hollow tube, a catheter, can be threaded into an artery up into the heart. Then material opaque to X-rays can be released into the blood flow through the heart imaging the details of coronary arteries. Typically used to identify a blockage and location in the coronary circulation. |
|
|
Term
| Phlebotomist/venipuncturist |
|
Definition
| – the specially trained nurse or technician draws blood for lab tests and may also start IV’s (intravenous fluids). The Greek and Latin versions of “cutting into a vein.” |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
(inflammation of the brain)
(born without a brain) |
|
Definition
Encephalitis
Anencephalic |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord |
|
|
Term
| (inflammation of the membranes) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| (X-ray of the spinal cord) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Difficult, painful, abnormal |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Hernia, abnormal protrusion of structure out of normal anatomical position |
|
|
Term
| (protrusion of membranes and spinal cord) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
(disease of the brain)
(disease of the nerves) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Development, formation, growth |
|
|
Term
(no development)
(over development) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| (paralysis of one side of the body) (paralysis of all four limbs) |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – Literally, “many hardenings,” MS is a disease of unknown cause that manifests as multiple hard plaques of degeneration of the insulating layer of nerve fibers in the central nervous system. The loss of insulation allows “short circuiting” of nerve impulses. Depending upon where the degeneration occurs, patients may suffer paralysis, sensory disturbances or blindness. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) |
|
Definition
| – the fancy name for a “stroke”. A blood vessel in the brain may burst causing internal bleeding. Or, a clot may arise in a brain blood vessel (a thrombus), or arise elsewhere (embolus) and travel to get stuck in a brain vessel which then deprives brain tissue of oxygen. Depending upon the area of the brain involved, the patient may suffer paralysis, loss of speech or loss of vision. |
|
|
Term
| Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) – |
|
Definition
| “Ischemia” was introduced previously in the circulatory diseases module referring to the heart. It literally means “not quite enough blood”. A short period of insufficient blood supply to the brain can have the same signs and symptoms as a stroke such as weakness in an arm, a partial loss of vision, but the problem lasts less than 24 hours. People who get TIA’s are at increased risk of having a stroke in the future. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – a Greek word for “seizure.” Convulsions is another term used. Seizures may have many causes and not all seizures are epilepsy. High fevers in young children may trigger seizures which are short in duration, easily controlled and, typically, have no permanent aftereffects. Epilepsy is a specific condition which may occur at any age, seizures are more intense, longer lasting in duration, and recur with some frequency. The condition may be controlled with medication, or if unresponsive to drugs, may require surgery. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – loss of speech. The speech centers are located on the left side of the brain in a majority of people. If someone suffers a “stroke” (cerebrovascular accident-CVA), or traumatic brain injury, and it involves the left side of the brain, they may suffer speech impediments that vary over a spectrum of problems from difficulty in finding the right word, speaking slowly and with difficulty, or complete loss of speech. Actually, there are two speech centers. Injury described above involves the motor speech area, the area of the brain that produces language by integrating thoughts of speech with the movements of the larynx, lips and tongue. There is a second speech area, the receptive or sensory area, that enables us to understand speech. Injury to the latter results in still fluent speech, but the individual does not understand what they are hearing. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – a physician specializing in diseases of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. He/she may refer a patient to a neurosurgeon. Neurologists do not do surgery. |
|
|
Term
| Lumbar (spinal) puncture or tap (LP) |
|
Definition
| – introducing a needle between the lower bony vertebrae of our spinal column allows a physician to sample the fluid, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Lab tests on the fluid are used for diagnostic purposes such as presence of bacteria in meningitis, special proteins in multiple sclerosis, or blood cells. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – introducing a radioactive element into the blood can image possible tumors in the brain. The radioactive dose is very low and detectable only with special, very sensitive instruments that are much more sophisticated than the old Geiger counters. |
|
|
Term
| Electroencephalography (EEG) |
|
Definition
| – Wow, what a mouthful, but take it apart. Starting at the end of the word: an image (in this case a written recording) of the brain’s electrical activity. EEGs are used to diagnose different types of seizure disorders such as epilepsy, brain tumors, and are used in sleep research to identify stages of sleep. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – a specialized X-ray machine that takes multiple images of a body area from different angles and has a computer that integrates the multiple images into “slices” of the body. The resolution is much better than standard X-rays and there is better differentiation of types of tissue (bone, air, solid organ). |
|
|
Term
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) |
|
Definition
– Although the image produces the “slices” through the body seen by CT (see above), no X-rays are involved. The patient’s body is placed in a strong magnetic field. Radio pulses affect the resonance or “spin” of atoms in the tissues. A computer analyzes this information to show subtle differences in tissue molecular structure producing very high resolution and better differentiation of soft tissue, such as a tumor within the liver.
PreviousQuiz three |
|
|
Term
| Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) – |
|
Definition
| “Ischemia” was introduced previously in the circulatory diseases module referring to the heart. It literally means “not quite enough blood”. A short period of insufficient blood supply to the brain can have the same signs and symptoms as a stroke such as weakness in an arm, a partial loss of vision, but the problem lasts less than 24 hours. People who get TIA’s are at increased risk of having a stroke in the future. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – a Greek word for “seizure.” Convulsions is another term used. Seizures may have many causes and not all seizures are epilepsy. High fevers in young children may trigger seizures which are short in duration, easily controlled and, typically, have no permanent aftereffects. Epilepsy is a specific condition which may occur at any age, seizures are more intense, longer lasting in duration, and recur with some frequency. The condition may be controlled with medication, or if unresponsive to drugs, may require surgery. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – loss of speech. The speech centers are located on the left side of the brain in a majority of people. If someone suffers a “stroke” (cerebrovascular accident-CVA), or traumatic brain injury, and it involves the left side of the brain, they may suffer speech impediments that vary over a spectrum of problems from difficulty in finding the right word, speaking slowly and with difficulty, or complete loss of speech. Actually, there are two speech centers. Injury described above involves the motor speech area, the area of the brain that produces language by integrating thoughts of speech with the movements of the larynx, lips and tongue. There is a second speech area, the receptive or sensory area, that enables us to understand speech. Injury to the latter results in still fluent speech, but the individual does not understand what they are hearing. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – a physician specializing in diseases of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. He/she may refer a patient to a neurosurgeon. Neurologists do not do surgery. |
|
|
Term
| Lumbar (spinal) puncture or tap (LP) |
|
Definition
| – introducing a needle between the lower bony vertebrae of our spinal column allows a physician to sample the fluid, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Lab tests on the fluid are used for diagnostic purposes such as presence of bacteria in meningitis, special proteins in multiple sclerosis, or blood cells. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – introducing a radioactive element into the blood can image possible tumors in the brain. The radioactive dose is very low and detectable only with special, very sensitive instruments that are much more sophisticated than the old Geiger counters. |
|
|
Term
| Electroencephalography (EEG) |
|
Definition
| – Wow, what a mouthful, but take it apart. Starting at the end of the word: an image (in this case a written recording) of the brain’s electrical activity. EEGs are used to diagnose different types of seizure disorders such as epilepsy, brain tumors, and are used in sleep research to identify stages of sleep. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| – a specialized X-ray machine that takes multiple images of a body area from different angles and has a computer that integrates the multiple images into “slices” of the body. The resolution is much better than standard X-rays and there is better differentiation of types of tissue (bone, air, solid organ). |
|
|
Term
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) |
|
Definition
– Although the image produces the “slices” through the body seen by CT (see above), no X-rays are involved. The patient’s body is placed in a strong magnetic field. Radio pulses affect the resonance or “spin” of atoms in the tissues. A computer analyzes this information to show subtle differences in tissue molecular structure producing very high resolution and better differentiation of soft tissue, such as a tumor within the liver.
PreviousQuiz three |
|
|
