MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY FOR MEDICAL
TRANSCRIPTION TRAINEES
Cardiovascular System:
Aneurysm
A sac or out-pouching of the walls of an artery or vein filled with blood.
Angina
A type of pain usually described as choking, squeezing, or suffocating,
usually present in the chest, throat, jaw, shoulders, arms or elbows. Most
commonly associated with blockage of the heart arteries.
Angiography
A test to determine the severity and location of blocked arteries of any part
of the body, particularly the heart arteries.
Angioplasty
Balloon technique to open the blocked arteries with balloons inserted from
outside the body (see PTCA)
Arrhythmia
A change in the rhythm of the heart beat. This may manifest as the heart
beat being too slow, too rapid, or irregular in rhythm.
Atherectomy
Technique similar to balloon angioplasty, but which uses devices to remove
the blocking material from the heart arteries.
Atrial fibrillation
A type of cardiac arrhythmia during which the atria (i.e. the top chambers
of the heart) beat in an uncoordinated and disorganized fashion thus
leading to a very irregular and fast rhythm.
B
,Balloon Pump
A device inserted from outside the body and placed in the aorta temporary
to reduce heart work load during the time of threatened heart attack,
balloon intervention, or heart surgery.
Blood Pressure
Pressure of the blood on the walls of the arteries of the body, this depends
upon the strength of the heart, contraction, the elasticity of the walls of the
arteries, and total blood volume.
Anticoagulants ("Blood Thinners")
Drugs given by mouth or by vein to reduce the capacity of the blood to
form blood clots.
Bradycardia
A type of arrhythmia during which the heart beats in a slow rhythm.
C
CABG
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery. First used in 1967 to "bypass"
blocked heart arteries using segments of the patients own veins or chest
arteries.
Cardiac Arrest
Complete cessation of effective heart action, which progresses to death if
not treated promptly.
Cardiac Catheterization
Procedure to diagnose the type and severity of heart disease measuring
pressures inside heart chambers and using X-rays to visualize heart
chambers, and heart arteries.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Supervised exercise and education after heart attack, heart surgery, or
other procedures to improve the patient's functional capacity and risk
profile.
,Clogged Arteries
Another term for coronary artery disease in which arteries supplying blood
to the heart muscle are partially or completely blocked by collections of
cholesterol and abnormal blood cells in the artery walls.
Congenital Heart Disease
Abnormalities of cardiac structure or function present at birth.
E
EKG
Electrocardiogram. A test utilized to assess heart rhythm and function by
measuring the electrical patterns present on the surface of the body.
Electrophysiology Study (EPS:
A test utilized to find out from where the cardiac arrhythmia originates
within the heart and what may be done to control or cure it. It requires
percutaneous insertion (through a vein in the groin) of the diagnostic
catheters in the heart and is performed under local anesthesia.
H
Heart Attack/Myocardial Infarction
Caused by sudden blockage of a heart artery with blood clot leading to
progressive muscle injury over the next 6-12 hours. This is a medical
emergency requiring early treatment to minimize heart damage.
Heart Failure
The result of weakening of heart muscle from one of many causes which
results in inadequate supply of blood to the body and often build-up of
fluid in the lungs.
Heart Murmur
Sounds heard through a stethoscope which are caused by turbulent flow of
blood across heart valves, often, but not always, representing congenital or
acquired abnormalities of the valves.
Hypertension
Abnormally elevated blood pressure which can result in coronary artery
, disease, kidney failure, strokes, or other complications if left untreated over
many years.
O
Open Heart Surgery
Heart procedures such as coronary artery bypass graft surgery and valve
replacement surgery, which require incision through the chest wall,
opening of the heart chambers, and usually use of heart-lung bypass
machine.
P
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Partial or complete blockage of the arteries supplying blood to other body
organs including extremities, kidneys, intestines, and brain. Essentially the
same disease process which causes blockage of heart arteries.
R
Risk Factors
Medical, genetic, environmental or other conditions which are known to
increase the risk of the development of a second disease. For example
diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all risk factors for
later development of coronary artery disease.
S
Sick Sinus Syndrome
A condition during which the sinus node (i.e. the natural intrinsic
pacemaker of the heart), becomes dysfunctional, thus leading to the
various cardiac arrhythmias.
Stress Test
A type of non-invasive test using graded exercise or medication to increase
blood pressure and heart rate and determine the response of the patients
heart.
TRANSCRIPTION TRAINEES
Cardiovascular System:
Aneurysm
A sac or out-pouching of the walls of an artery or vein filled with blood.
Angina
A type of pain usually described as choking, squeezing, or suffocating,
usually present in the chest, throat, jaw, shoulders, arms or elbows. Most
commonly associated with blockage of the heart arteries.
Angiography
A test to determine the severity and location of blocked arteries of any part
of the body, particularly the heart arteries.
Angioplasty
Balloon technique to open the blocked arteries with balloons inserted from
outside the body (see PTCA)
Arrhythmia
A change in the rhythm of the heart beat. This may manifest as the heart
beat being too slow, too rapid, or irregular in rhythm.
Atherectomy
Technique similar to balloon angioplasty, but which uses devices to remove
the blocking material from the heart arteries.
Atrial fibrillation
A type of cardiac arrhythmia during which the atria (i.e. the top chambers
of the heart) beat in an uncoordinated and disorganized fashion thus
leading to a very irregular and fast rhythm.
B
,Balloon Pump
A device inserted from outside the body and placed in the aorta temporary
to reduce heart work load during the time of threatened heart attack,
balloon intervention, or heart surgery.
Blood Pressure
Pressure of the blood on the walls of the arteries of the body, this depends
upon the strength of the heart, contraction, the elasticity of the walls of the
arteries, and total blood volume.
Anticoagulants ("Blood Thinners")
Drugs given by mouth or by vein to reduce the capacity of the blood to
form blood clots.
Bradycardia
A type of arrhythmia during which the heart beats in a slow rhythm.
C
CABG
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery. First used in 1967 to "bypass"
blocked heart arteries using segments of the patients own veins or chest
arteries.
Cardiac Arrest
Complete cessation of effective heart action, which progresses to death if
not treated promptly.
Cardiac Catheterization
Procedure to diagnose the type and severity of heart disease measuring
pressures inside heart chambers and using X-rays to visualize heart
chambers, and heart arteries.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Supervised exercise and education after heart attack, heart surgery, or
other procedures to improve the patient's functional capacity and risk
profile.
,Clogged Arteries
Another term for coronary artery disease in which arteries supplying blood
to the heart muscle are partially or completely blocked by collections of
cholesterol and abnormal blood cells in the artery walls.
Congenital Heart Disease
Abnormalities of cardiac structure or function present at birth.
E
EKG
Electrocardiogram. A test utilized to assess heart rhythm and function by
measuring the electrical patterns present on the surface of the body.
Electrophysiology Study (EPS:
A test utilized to find out from where the cardiac arrhythmia originates
within the heart and what may be done to control or cure it. It requires
percutaneous insertion (through a vein in the groin) of the diagnostic
catheters in the heart and is performed under local anesthesia.
H
Heart Attack/Myocardial Infarction
Caused by sudden blockage of a heart artery with blood clot leading to
progressive muscle injury over the next 6-12 hours. This is a medical
emergency requiring early treatment to minimize heart damage.
Heart Failure
The result of weakening of heart muscle from one of many causes which
results in inadequate supply of blood to the body and often build-up of
fluid in the lungs.
Heart Murmur
Sounds heard through a stethoscope which are caused by turbulent flow of
blood across heart valves, often, but not always, representing congenital or
acquired abnormalities of the valves.
Hypertension
Abnormally elevated blood pressure which can result in coronary artery
, disease, kidney failure, strokes, or other complications if left untreated over
many years.
O
Open Heart Surgery
Heart procedures such as coronary artery bypass graft surgery and valve
replacement surgery, which require incision through the chest wall,
opening of the heart chambers, and usually use of heart-lung bypass
machine.
P
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Partial or complete blockage of the arteries supplying blood to other body
organs including extremities, kidneys, intestines, and brain. Essentially the
same disease process which causes blockage of heart arteries.
R
Risk Factors
Medical, genetic, environmental or other conditions which are known to
increase the risk of the development of a second disease. For example
diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all risk factors for
later development of coronary artery disease.
S
Sick Sinus Syndrome
A condition during which the sinus node (i.e. the natural intrinsic
pacemaker of the heart), becomes dysfunctional, thus leading to the
various cardiac arrhythmias.
Stress Test
A type of non-invasive test using graded exercise or medication to increase
blood pressure and heart rate and determine the response of the patients
heart.
