Anatomy
The main artery, which receives blood from the left ventricle and delivers it to all the other arteries that carry blood to the tissues of the body.
Aorta
A state is which the heart fails to generate effective and detectable blood flow; pulses are not palpable even if muscular or electrical activity continues.
Cardiac Arrest
A slow heart rate, less than 60 beats/min.
Bradycardia
Death of body tissue, usually caused by interruption of its blood supply.
Infarction
A fainting spell or transient loss of consciousness.
Syncope
One of two upper chambers of the heart.
Atrium
A heart attack; death of heart muscle following obstruction of blood flow to it.
Acute Myocardial Infarction
A rapid heart rate, more than 100 beats/min.
Tachycardia
A lack of oxygen that deprives tissues of necessary nutrients, resulting from partial or complete blockage of blood flow, potentially reversible because permanent injury has not yet occurred.
Ischemia
A disorder in which the heart loses part of its ability to effectively pump blood, usually as a result of damage to the heart muscle and usually results in backup of fluid into the lungs.
Congestive Heart Failure
One of two lower chambers of the heart.
Ventricle
Transient chest discomfort caused by partial or temporary blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle.
Angina Pectoris
The complete absence of heart electrical activity.
Asystole
The flow of blood through body tissues and vessels.
Perfusion
A condition in which the inner layers of an artery, such as the aorta, become separated, allowing blood to flow between layers.
Dissecting Aneurysm
The blood vessels that carry blood and nutrients to the heart muscle.
Coronary Arteries
A term used to describe a group of symptoms caused by myocardial ischemia; includes angina and myocardial infarction.
Acute Coronary Syndrome
A rapid heart rhythm in which the electrical impulse begins in the ventricles, which may result in inadequate blood flow and eventually deteriorate into cardiac arrest.
Ventricular Tachycardia
A blood clot that has formed within a blood vessel and is floating within the bloodstream.
Thromboembolism
A measure of the volume of blood circulated by the heart in 1 minute, calculated by multiplying stroke volume by heart rate.
Cardiac Output
The heart muscle.
Myocardium
A state in which not enough oxygen is delivered to the tissues of the body, caused by low output of blood from the heart.
Cardiogenic Shock
Disorganized, ineffective twitching of the ventricles resulting in no blood flow and a state of cardiac arrest.
Ventricular Fibrillation
A disorder in which cholesterol and calcium build up inside the walls of blood vessels, eventually leading to partial or complete blockage of blood flow.
Atherosclerosis
The ability of cardiac muscle cells to contract without stimulation from the nervous system.
Automaticity