Med term Med Tirm study guide

Vasoconstrictor

constricts or narrows blood vessels

Pacemaker

electrical device that is implanted in the chest to control abnormal cardiac rhythms

ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator)

electrical device that is implanted in the chest to specifically control atrial or ventricular fibrillation

Diuretic

helps reduce the amount of water in the body

Blood pressure

term for the pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of a blood vessel

Cardiac catheterization

test in which a tiny plastic tube is inserted into a blood vessel, usually the femoral artery, to diagnose heart disease or abnormalities

Electrocardiogram

the record of the electrical activity of the heart

Sonography

A diagnostic imaging method involving the use of high-frequency sound waves to generate images of structures in the body

Bradycardia

The first patient you see has a pulse rate of 42 bmp. You know that a normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 bmp. How would you document this patient's heart rate?

Hypertension

The medical assistant has already checked your patient's blood pressure and recorded it as 170/96. Which condition would you document for this patient?

Tachycardia

The next patient has a resting heart rate of 125 bmp. How would you document this heart rate?

Hypotension

This patient's blood pressure is 90/45. You know that a normal blood pressure range is 90-140/60-90. Which condition would you document for this patient?

"MI" means a tissue death in the heart muscle resulting from an occluded coronary artery; heart attack.

When you check on Mr. Johnson in room 1421, he tells you that the healthcare workers in the cardiac catheterization lab kept referring to his "MI." Since Mr. Johnson had been given sedation prior to the procedure, he could not remember what the healthcare workers told him about this condition. How do you explain to him what "MI" means?

heart murmur

When you perform your examination in this patient with your stethoscope, you hear an abnormal sound. You know this sound occurs because the mitral valve is not closing completely. How would you document this in a medical record?

Atrial fibrillation

You check the heart monitors of the patients on your floor and you notice that Mr. Jones in room 1415 has rapid, spontaneous contractions of the atria. You contact Mr. Jones' cardiologists with this information. How does the cardiologist describe Mr. Jones' condition?

Holtor Monitor

a machine that continuously records the heart pumps blood

Defbrillation

a process used to stop atrial or ventricular fibrillation by mean or drugs

Electrocardiogram

a record of the electrical activity of the heart

Sphygmomanometer

an instrument used to determine blood pressure

Arrhythmia

irregular heartbeat

Antiarrhythmic

prevents or reduces irregular rhythms of the heart

Fibrillation

rapid, spontaneous contractions of the muscle fibers in the atria or ventricles

Stethoscope

tool that is used to listen to internal body sounds

Beta blocker

used to treat several conditions, including angina, hypertension, irregular heart rhythms, migranes, panic attacks, and tremors

Stent

wire mesh tube that is inserted into an artery to prevent the artery from becoming blocked