MEDTERMS 2

cardiac arrest

Sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing, and consciousness oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide stop, tissue cell metabolism becomes anaerobic and metabolic and respiratory acidosis ensue.

arteriosclerosis

The build-up of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls a common disorder characterized by thickening, loss of elasticity and calcification of arterial walls. it results in a decreased blood supply, especially to the brain and lower extremities. usually develops with aging and diabetes

Leukocyte

a blood cell that participated in immunity and inflammation. a colorless cell that circulates in the blood and body fluids and is involved in counteracting foreign substances and disease; a white (blood) cell

Hypertension

a common disorder that is a known cardiovascular disease risk factor, characterized by elevated blood pressure. high blood pressure

Ischemia

a decreased supply of oxygenated blood to a body part. the condition is often marked by pain and organ dysfunction. Inadequate blood supply to a local area due to blockage of blood vessels leading to that area

Hemophilia

a disorder in which blood does not clot normally. hereditary

embolus

a foreign object, quantity of air or gas, bit of tissue or tumor or piece of thrombus that circulates in the blood stream until it becomes lodged in a vessel (a sudden blocking of an artery)

Universal Recipient

a person with blood type AB, who can receive a transfusion of any blood type without agglutination or precipitation effects

Sickle Cell Anemia

a severe, chronic hemoglobinopathy that occurs in people homozygous for hemoglobin S. the abnormal hemoglobin crystallizes and distorts the erythrocytes. characterized by joint pain and weakness.

Pacemaker

a small device that's placed in the chest or abdomen to help control abnormal heart rhythms. This device uses low-energy electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate

edema

abnormal accumulation of fluid in interstitial spaces of tissues. may be caused by increased capillary fluid pressure. (swollen feet)

dyscrasia

abnormal condition of the blood or bone marrow, such as leukemia, aplastic anemia or prenatal Rh incompatibility.

bradycardia

condition where the heart rate is less than 60/minute. common in athletes

angina pectoris

(cardiac pain) a paroxymysmal thoratic pain caused most often by myocardial anoxia as a result of atherosclerosis pt spasm of the coronary arteries. the pain usually radiates along the neck, jaw, and shoulder as down the inner aspect of the left arm. it is frequently accompanied by a feeling of suffocation and impending death.

Leukemia

A cancer of blood-forming tissues, hindering the body's ability to fight infection WBC become elevated

Rheumatic Heart Disease

damage to heart muscle and hear valves caused b episodes by a fever. when a susceptible person acquires a group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection, an autoimmune reaction mat occur in heart tissue, resulting is permanent deformities of heart valves or chordae tendineae. A disease that can result from inadequately treated strep throat or scarlet fever

DNR

do not resuscitate

Tachycardia

heart contracts greater than 100beats/min may occur due to a fever, exercise, or nervous excitement

Heparin

naturally occuring Prevents clots in the blood vessels before or after surgery or during certain medical procedures. Also treats certain blood, heart, and lung disorders and helps diagnose and treat certain bleeding disorders. This medicine is a blood thinner.

bypass

one of the various surgical procedures to divert or shunt the flow of blood or other natural fluids from normal anatomical courses.

Phlebotomy

the practice of drawing blood from patients and taking the blood specimens to the laboratory to prepare for testing

Toxemia

the presence of bacterial toxins in the blood stream

Hemoglobin

the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs. made up of four protein molecules (globulin chains) that are connected together

Myocardial Infarction (MI)

tight chest pains A blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle (heart attack)

embolism

when embolus travels through the body and becomes lodged in a blood vessel

asymptomatic

without symptoms

Fibrillation

An irregular, often rapid heart rate that commonly causes poor blood flow. involuntary recurrent contraction of a single muscle fiber or of an isolated bundle of nerve fibers.

atherosclerosis

a common disorder characterized by yellowish plaques of cholesterol, other lipids, and cellular debris in the inner layers of the walls of arteries. (The build-up of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls) a specific type of arteriosclerosis

Thrombosis

an abnormal condition in which a clot develops within a blood vessel blood clot

cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

an abnormal condition of the brain characterized by occlusion by an embolus, thrombus or cerebrovascular hemorrhage resulting in ischima of the brain tissues normally perused by the damaged vessels. (stroke or brain attack)

congestive heart failure

an abnormal condition that reflects impaired cardiac pumping and the inability to maintain the metabolic needs of the body. failure of the ventricles to eject blood efficiently results in volume overload, ventricular dilation and elevates intracardiac pressure increased P in the left side causes pulmonary congestion increased P in the right side causes systemic venous congestion

Holter Monitor

an american biophsicit a trademark for a device for making prolonged electrocardiograph recordings on a portable take recorder while the patient conducts normal daily activities.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

an episode of cerebrovasculs insufficient, usually associates with partial occlusions of a cerebral artery by an atherosclerotic plaque or an embolus. A brief attack, like a stroke, but lasts only minutes and causes no permanent damage

arrhythmias

irregular heartbeat

Erythrocyte

red blood cell contains hemoglobin and can arry oxygen to the body. Also called a red blood cell (RBC). The reddish color is due to the hemoglobin. Erythrocytes are biconcave in shape, which increases the cell's surface area and facilitates the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This shape is maintained by a cytoskeleton composed of several proteins. Erythrocytes are very flexible and change shape when flowing through capillaries. Immature erythrocytes, called reticulocytes, normally account for 1-2 percent of red cells in the blood.

Occlusion

the blockage or closing of a blood vessel or hollow organ.

Hematoma

the blood clots, serum collects, the clot hardens and the mass becomes palpable to the examiner and is often painful to the patient.

Universal Donor

type of Rh, negative re blood cells that may be used for emergency transfusion to any ABO type with minimal risk of incompatibility. group AB plasma can be transfused to all ABO types