blood
What are platelets?
These cell fragments are essential for blood clotting and repairing broken vessels.
What is systolic pressure?
The peak pressure exerted on the artery walls when the ventricles contract.
What are the ventricles?
The four muscular chambers of the heart are the right/left atria and these two, which pump blood out.
What is the Right Atrium?
This is the name for the chamber that receives oxygen-poor blood from the body.
What is Angioplasty?
Procedure where a balloon is inflated inside a blocked artery to open it.
What is plasma?
This component makes up about 55% of blood volume and contains water, salts, and proteins.
What is a sphygmomanometer (or blood pressure cuff)?
The instrument used to measure blood pressure.
What is the septum?
This muscular wall separates the right and left sides of the heart.
What is the Myocardium?
This thick middle muscular layer of the heart is responsible for pumping.
What is a Cardiac Catheterization or Angiogram?
Invasive test where dye is injected to visualize the patency of the coronary arteries.
What is oxygen?
Known as erythrocytes, these cells contain hemoglobin to transport this gas.
What is Renin?
This hormone, released by the kidneys when blood pressure is low, helps constrict blood vessels and raise pressure.
What is the endocardium?
This innermost layer of the heart wall is composed of smooth endothelium.
What is the Sinoatrial (SA) node?
This structure acts as the pacemaker, initiating the electrical signal for a heartbeat.
What is a Diuretic?
This type of medication is used to increase urine production to reduce fluid volume.
What is a neutrophil?
This type of white blood cell is the first to arrive at the site of an infection
What is Stage 2 Hypertension?
These stretch sensors in the carotid sinus and aortic arch respond quickly to changes in blood pressure.
What is the pericardium?
This sac-like structure surrounds the heart and contains lubricating fluid.
What are the Tricuspid and Mitral (Bicuspid) valves?
These are the two AV valves (atrioventricular) that prevent backflow into the atria.
What is Defibrillation (or Cardioversion)?
A procedure used to reset the heart’s normal rhythm using an electrical shock.
What is hematocrit?
The percentage of total blood volume occupied by red blood cells is known by this term.
What is hypotension?
A blood pressure reading below normal, often causing dizziness when rising.
What are papillary muscles
These muscles hold the AV valve flaps in place to prevent backflow into the atria.
What is "Lub" (AV valves) and "Dub" (Semilunar valves)?
These are the sounds caused by the snapping shut of the heart valves.
What is a Stent?
A metal mesh tube placed in an artery to keep it open.