Glossary
When praying for many friends facing major heart illness, I found it helpful to understand terms used. I have brought together a collection of the terms used and a simple explanation of them for ordinary folk like me. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these and I recognise new procedures are being developed and new terms added. But hopefully these will help you grasp something of the nature of the many heart defects and their treatment.
2hearts definitions as I understand them.
Cardiology terms
A
Acyanotic heart disease
Heart defect without cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin).
Aneurysm
Abnormal dilation of a blood vessel or wall of the heart.
Angiogram
An x-ray film of the heart or blood vessels after injecting a dye within the heart or blood vessels. This enables visualization of the cardiovascular structures.
Angioplasty
Repair of vascular abnormalities through cardiac catheterization.
Aortic arch
The part of the aorta which curves down, usually to the left but sometimes to the right.
Aortic stenosis
Narrowing of the orifice of the aortic valve.
Aortic regurgitation
Leakage of the aortic valve.
Aorta
A blood vessel which carries blood from the left ventricle to the body. The first potion of the aorta is directed upwards, thus called the ascending aorta, it then arches downwards (the aortic arch) and then descends downwards towards the abdomen and lower extremities (descending aorta).
Aortic valve
A valve at the junction of the left ventricle to the aorta.
Aorto-pulmonary window (or fenestration)
An abnormal direct communication between the aorta and pulmonary artery.
Arrhythmia
Abnormal heart rhythm.
Arterio-venous festula
An abnormal communication between an artery and vein (i.e. no capillaries in between).
Asphyxia
Lack of oxygen leading to organ damage.
Asplenia
Absent spleen or lack of normal function, seen in some complex cardiac defects.
Atherosclerosis
Disease of the lining of arteries, in part due to cholesterol deposition leading to obstruction of blood flow.
Atresia
Lack of embryological development, resulting in a small and abnormal organ formation.
Atrial fibrillation
A fast and irregular fast heart beating due to significant disease of the atrial chambers.
Atrial flutter
A type of abnormal and fast heart beating generated by abnormal tissue in the atria.
Atrial septal defect (ASD)
A hole in the atrial septum.
Atrial septum
The wall partitioning the right and left atrium.
Atrio-ventricular canal
The area where the atria connect to the ventricles. This is usually divided into a mitral and tricuspid valve. When there is a single communication between the atria and the ventricle it is termed common atrio-ventricular canal defect.
Atrio-ventricular node
This is a node of tissue which specializes in conducting electricity within the heart. It conducts the electrical stimulus from the atria into the ventricles through special pathways called bundles of His.
Azygous vein
A vein which connects the inferior vena cava to the superior vena cava, usually small.
B
Bradycardia
Slow heart rate.
Bundles of His
These are specialized tissues which convey electrical stimulus from the atria to the ventricles.
C
Cardiac
Latin for heart.
Cardiomyopathy
Disease of the muscles of the heart leading to their thickening (hypertrophic) or their thinning (dilated)
Cardioversion
Using electrical stimulation to correct a dangerous and abnormal heart rhythm.
Catheter
A tiny hose like device which is inserted in the body through a blood vessel (usually in the groin) and manipulated to the heart where pressure measurements and dye injection is performed.
Catheterization
A procedure in which the cardiologist evaluates heart structures and pressures inside using catheters. Pressure measurement is obtained through the catheter, which are also used to inject a dye through it and obtain an x-ray film of the heart with the dye inside it, this helps to delineate cardiac chambers and vessels.
Chorea
An abnormal and uncontrollable movement of the arms seen in rheumatic fever.
Closed heart surgery
A surgical procedure of the heart in which the heart continues to pump. This typically involve minor procedures to the heart.
Color Doppler
This technology of the echocardiogram machine shows the moving blood inside the heart and the direction they are going in. This helps differentiate normal and abnormal blood flow.
Congenital heart disease
Abnormal embryological development of the heart.
Congestive heart failure (CHF)
Refers to a fatigued heart due to work overload associated with congestion of the lungs.
Coronary arteries
Small blood vessels which feed blood to the muscles of the heart.
Coronary sinus
A collecting vein which drains blood from the heart itself.
Cor pulmonale
Affliction of the lungs secondary to heart disease.
Cyanosis
Bluish discoloration of the skin due to poor oxygen contents of the blood (well oxygenated blood is red in color and desaturated blood is blue in color).
D
Descending aorta
The part of the aorta which descends down to the abdomen.
Defibrillation
Using electrical stimulation to correct a dangerous and abnormal heart rhythm.
Dextrocardia
Abnormality in cardiac development resulting in that the cardiac apex (tip of ventricles) is rightwards rather than leftwards.
Dextroversion
The heart is pushed (or pulled) to the right side of the chest cavity due to lung disease or other causes.
A genetic disease which affects the normal development of the heart, thymus and parathyroid glands.
Doppler
An ultrasound feature of the echocardiogram machine which estimates the speed of blood flow, from which pressure gradient across a narrow valve could be detected.
Double inlet left ventricle
A cardiac defect in which both mitral and tricuspid valves open into the left ventricle.
Double outlet right ventricle
A cardiac defect in which both great major vessels emerge from the right ventricle.
Down’s syndrome
A birth defect due to abnormalities of the chromosomes, many such patients have cardiac disease, usually atrio-ventricular canal defect. Also known as trisomy 21 syndrome.
Dysrhythmia
Abnormal heart rhythm.
E
Ebstein’s anomaly
Birth defect of the heart affecting the tricuspid valve, which is abnormally positioned and leads to tricuspid stenosis and regurgitation.
Ectopia cordis
Abnormal development of the heart resulting in an abnormal position of the heart outside the thoracic cage and visible to the eye. The heart may or may not be covered by skin.
Ectopic
Latin, indicating location other than usual.
Echocardiogram
A device used to image the heart using ultrasound waves.
Endocardial cushion defect
Another term for atrioventricular canal defect, in which there is a common communication between the atria and the ventricles.
Endocarditis
Inflammation of the lining layer of the heart.
Eustacian valve
A small ridge in the wall of the right atrium which directs blood coming from the umbilical vein before birth to the left atrium through the patent foramen ovale.
Exercise testing
A test designed to assess the cardiac rhythm and function by subjecting the individual to exercise on a treadmill, bicycle or simulated through intravenous medications.
F
First degree heart (or AV) block
Delay in conduction of heart beats from the atria to the ventricles.
Foramen ovale
A hole communicating the right and left atria, present in all unborn children and remains open after birth for variable periods of time.
The Fontan procedure is used in pediatric patients who possess only a single functional ventricle, either due to lack of a heart valve , an abnormality of the pumping ability of the heart , or a complex congenital heart disease where a bi-ventricular repair is impossible or inadvisable.
G
H
Heart block
Blockage transmission of heart beats from the atria to the ventricles.
Heart lung machine
A device used to take the blood away from the body before it reaches the heart, it removes carbon dioxide and supply it with oxygen, then pump it back into the body. It is used in open heart surgeries so that the heart and lungs would have no blood in them, making surgical procedures on these organs possible.
Hemoglobin (Hgb)
Protein particles in the blood capable of carrying oxygen to the body.
Hypercalcemia
High level of calcium in the blood
Hyperkalemia
High potassium level in the blood.
Hypoplastic
Lack of embryological development resulting in a abnormally small organ formation.
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome HLHS
A birth defect in which the left side of the heart is poorly developed, resulting in small mitral valve, left ventricle and aortic valve.
Hypoplastic right heart syndrome (HRHS)
Underdevelopment of the right sided structures of the heart. These defects cause inadequate blood flow to the lungs and thus, a blue or cyanotic infant.
Hypertension
High blood pressure.
I
Infarction
Death of tissue, usually used with muscles of the heart: myocardial infarction.
Insufficiency, also termed regurgitation
Backward leakage of a valve. This occurs when the valve is deformed and unable to prevent the blood from leaking backwards when it is closed.
Inferior vena cava
A major vein draining blood from the body and lower extremities.
J
Jones criteria
Features of rheumatic fever, used to establish diagnosis.
Junctional rhythm
A heart rhythm generating from the atrioventricular node.
Junctional tachycardia
An abnormally fast heart rate generated from the atrioventricular node.
K
Kawasaki disease
A disease involving the immune system affecting the heart, particularly the coronary arteries.
L
Left atrium
One of the two collecting chambers of the heart. It receives blood returning from the lungs. Four pulmonary veins drain into the left atrium.
Left ventricle
One of two pumping chambers. It pumps blood to the body.
M
Malposition of the heart
Abnormally positioned heart in the chest due to abnormal embryological development.
Marfan’s disease
A genetic disorder which affects the connective tissue of the body. It causes heart disease due to dilation of blood vessels and redundancy of cardiac valves.
Mesocardia
Abnormal position of the heart where it occupies a more central position within the chest.
Mitral valve
A valve at the junction of the left atrium and left ventricle.
Myocarditis
Inflammation of the heart muscles.
Myocardium
Muscles of the heart. There are more myocardium in the ventricles than in the atria, and more in the left ventricle than the right. Myocardium enables the cardiac chambers to squeeze, propelling blood.
N
O
Open heart surgery
A surgical procedure of the heart in which the heart is stopped and the circulation is maintained to the body using a heart lung machine which in addition to pumping blood to the body it removes carbon dioxide from the blood and add oxygen to it.
Oxygen desaturation
Refers to the situation wen the blood going out to the body is not fully saturated as it normally should be. This is seen when there is lung disease or when the desaturated blood in the right heart crosses over to the left side heart and contaminate the well oxygenated blood.
Oxygen saturation
The extent of which the hemoglobin is saturated with oxygen. A normal oxygen saturation of the blood leaving the heart to the body is 95-100%. The oxygen saturation of the blood returning to the heart after delivering oxygen to the body id 75%.
P
P-wave
An ECG wave form representing electrical changes of atrial contraction.
Pace maker
The tissue of the heart which generates the heart beat, normally this is the sinus node.
Palpitation
The sensation of abnormal heart rhythm. This may be due to irregular heart beating or fast heart rate.
Patent ductus arteriosus
A blood vessel present in all unborn children. This conveys blood from the main pulmonary artery to the aorta before birth since there is very little blood going to the lungs before birth. This closes soon after birth in the overwhelming majority of children, if it persists, it will shunt blood from the aorta to the pulmonary arteries after birth causing increase in the blood flow to the lungs.
Patent foramen ovale
A small opening in the atrial septum. This is present in all unborn children, where it carries blood to the left atrium. However, after birth this hole will allow blood to go from the left atrium to the right atrium. It closes spontaneously soon after birth. It may persist and is rarely problematic.
Pericardial effusion
Accumulation of fluid in the pericardium.
Pericarditis
Inflammation of the covering layer of the heart (pericardium).
Pericardium
An envelop (two layers) covering the heart.
Polysplenia
Presence of multiple, usually small and may be non-functional spleen tissue.
Post-coarcectomy hypertension
High blood pressure sometimes seen after repair of coarctation of the aorta.
Post-coarcectomy syndrome
A condition seen after repair of coarctation of the aorta which involves the gastrointestinal system.
Post-pericardiotomy syndrome
Inflammation of the pericardium resulting in fluid accumulation, results after heart surgery.
Premature atrial contraction
An early beat of the heart originating from the atria.
Premature ventricular contraction
An early beat of the heart originating from the ventricles.
Pulmonary
Latin for lungs.
Pulmonary artery
A blood vessel which receives pumped blood from the right ventricle and convey it to the lungs. There is a main pulmonary artery which connects tot he right ventricle, this branches into a right and left pulmonary arteries to take blood to the right and left lungs.
Pulmonary valve
A valve at the junction of the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery.
Pulmonary vascular obstructive disease
This results from damage tot he blood vessels of the lungs resulting in high vascular resistance. This may be reversible, if the offending disease is removed, or permanent.
Pulmonary veins
Four veins which return the well oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium.
Q
QRS-waves
An ECG wave complex representing electrical changes of ventricular contraction.
R
Rashkind atrial septostomy
A non-surgical procedure to enlarge the hole in the atrial septum.
Regurgitation, also termed insufficiency
Backward leakage of a valve. This occurs when the valve is deformed and unable to prevent the blood from leaking backwards when it is closed.
Rheumatic fever
A disease affecting joints, skin and heart, precipitated by streptococcal infection.
Right ventricle
One of two pumping chambers. It pumps blood to the lungs (pulmonary circulation).
Right atrium
One of the two collecting chambers of the heart. It receives blood returning from the body. The inferior vena cava, superior vena cava and the coronary sinus drain into it.
S
Second degree heart (or AV) block
Abnormality in conduction of heart beats from the atria to the ventricles. Some beats are transmitted from the atria to the ventricles and some are not.
Sinus tachycardia
A normal heart rhythm, however fast in rate as seen with exercise.
Shortening fraction (SF)
A mean of measuring the strength of the left ventricle (pumping chamber), it measures how much does the left ventricle squeeze in its process of pumping blood to the body.
Sinus node
This is a collection of specialized tissue which generate the electrical impulse which cause the heart to contract.
Stenosis
Narrowing, or small passageway.
Sternotomy
A vertical surgical incision of the chest used to access the heart.
Stethoscope
A medical tool used to hear the heart sounds and air movement in the lungs. It consists of a an ear piece which the doctor puts in his ears, which is attached to a tube with a metal piece at its end which has a diaphragm and possibly a bell, which is placed on the patient’s chest.
Supraventricular tachycardia
An abnormal heart rhythm with a fast heart rate. This may be without symptoms or with the sensation of fast heart beating and possibly weakness, dizziness and other symptoms.
Subacute bacterial endocarditis
Inflammation of the lining layer of the heart.
Superior vena cava
A major vein draining blood from the head and upper extremities.
T
T-waves
An ECG wave representing electrical changes of ventricular relaxation.
Tachycardia
Fast heart rate.
Tetralogy of Fallot
A congenital heart disease affecting the right ventricular outflow tract.
Third degree heart (or AV) block
Abnormality in conduction of heart beats from the atria to the ventricles. The atria and ventricles beat independently from each other.
Thoracotomy
A surgical incision on the side of the chest to access the heart.
Transposition of the great arteries (or vessels)
A congenital heart defect in which the two arteries emerging from the heart are switched.
Tricuspid valve
A valve at the junction of the right atrium and right ventricle.
Trisomy 21 syndrome
A birth defect due to abnormalities of the chromosomes, many such patients have cardiac disease, usually atrio-ventricular canal defect. Also known as Down’s syndrome.
Truncus arteriosus
A congenital heart disease resulting in abnormal development of the great arteries.
U
V
Valve
This refers to the door like structures which guard various parts of the heart, allowing blood to go into one direction and preventing it from returning backwards. There are four valves in the heart: the tricuspid, mitral, pulmonary and aortic valves.
Vascular resistance
This is the force generated by the tone of the blood vessels wall against the pumping heart. There is pulmonary vascular resistance and systemic vascular resistance. The former is the resistance generated by the blood vessels of the lungs and the later is generated by the blood vessels of the body.
Ventricular fibrillation
An abnormal and lethal heart beating due to significant disease of the ventricular chambers.
Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
A hole in the ventricular septum.
Ventricular tachycardia
An abnormal and dangerous fast heart beating. This may be life threatening.
W
William’s syndrome
A genetic disorder affecting the vasculature resulting in pulmonary and systemic vascular abnormalities.
Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome
Presence of an abnormal electrical pathway between the atria and the ventricles leading to abnormal heart rhythm.
