Quick Reference Glossary

ANEURYSM — a dilation (enlarging) of the wall of an artery, vein or heart. When aneurysms grow too large, they can weaken the vessel and rupture. The bleeding can be fatal.

ANGINA (also called angina pectoris) — discomfort or pressure, felt in the chest, back, arm or jaw, caused by a temporary lack of blood supply to the heart muscle.

ANGIOPLASTY — a procedure in which a specially designed balloon catheter with a small balloon tip is guided to the point of narrowing in an artery. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to compress the fatty matter into the artery wall and stretch the artery open to increase blood flow through the blood vessel.

ANTIOXIDANT — part of a group of vitamins (A,C and E) that may help to limit the cellular damage caused by chemical compounds called free radicals. Studies suggest that certain antioxidants may protect against coronary artery disease.

ARRHYTHMIA — an irregular heartbeat. These can range from benign types (harmless) to ones that are life threatening.

ATHEROSCLEROSIS (coronary artery disease) — a buildup of fatty matter (lipids, cholesterol and plaque) in the coronary artery wall that leads to narrowing or blockage in arteries.

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION — an irregular heart rhythm originating in the upper chambers of the heart that is disorganized, rapid and irregular, causing part of the heart to be unable to fully empty its contents. This can decrease the heart's pumping efficiency and increase the risk of clot formation.

BLOOD CLOT (thrombus) — formed when clotting factors in the blood cause it to coagulate or become a solid, jelly-like mass. When a blood clot forms inside a blood vessel, it can dislodge and travel through the blood stream, causing a heart attack or stroke.

BLOOD THINNERS (anticoagulants) — medicine used to prevent clots from forming or getting larger; used for people at risk for stroke or blood clots.

BYPASS — a surgical procedure designed to increase blood flow to an organ or extremity that has narrowing or blockage of the blood-supplying artery. For example, a vein taken from the leg may be used to divert blood around a blockage in a coronary artery. This procedure is a coronary artery bypass graft and is referred to as CABG, pronounced cabbage.

CALCIUM-CHANNEL BLOCKER — a drug that reduces spasms of the blood vessels, lowers blood pressure and controls angina; acts by selectively blocking the uptake of calcium by the cells.

CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION (cardiac cath, angiogram) — an invasive imaging procedure that involves inserting a catheter into a blood vessel in the arm or leg, and guiding it to your heart wit the aid of a special x-ray machine. Contrast dye is injected through the catheter so that x-ray movies of the blood flow through the valves, coronary arteries and heart chambers can be taken. It evaluates the heart's function and extent of coronary artery disease.

CARDIOLOGIST — doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.

CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE — a progressive disease that involves the buildup of fatty material and plaque in the carotid arteries (vessels that supply the brain with oxygenated blood); can lead to a stroke.

CATHETER — a thin, flexible instrument used to introduce or withdraw fluids from the body. A catheter also may be used to monitor blood pressure.

CLOFIBRATE — drug used to help lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

ECHOCARDIOGRAM — an imaging procedure that creates a moving picture outline of the heart's valves and chambers using high-frequency sound waves that come from a handheld wand placed on your chest or passed down your throat. Echo is often combined with Doppler ultrasound and color Doppler to evaluate blood flow across the heart's valves. Doppler senses the speed of sound and can pick up abnormal leakage or blockage of valves.

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (EKG or ECG) — a test that records on graph paper the electrical activity of the heart through small electrode patches on the skin. An EKG helps a physician detect abnormal heart rhythms or heart damage.

GEMFIBROZIL — drug used to lower elevated triglycerides and cholesterol levels.

GLUCOSE (blood sugar) — a fuel source to produce energy, that is manufactured by the body primarily from carbohydrates.

HEART FAILURE — a chronic disease in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged, decreasing its efficiency in pumping blood through the body.

INFARCTION — tissue death caused by a lack of oxygen-rich blood.

LIPID — fat circulating in the blood.

LIPOPROTEIN — a combination of fat and protein that transports lipids (fats) in the blood.

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI) — a test that produces high-quality still and moving pictures of the heart and large blood vessels. MRI uses large magnets and radiofrequency waves to produce pictures of the body's internal structures. No X-ray exposure is involved. MRI acquires information about the heart as it is beating; creating moving images of the heart throughout its pumping cycle.

NICOTINIC ACID (niacin) — cholesterol drug that lowers LDL and triglycerides and raises HDL.

NITROCLYCERINE — a medication used to relax and dilate the blood vessels (vasodilator), improving blood flow. Nitroglycerine works very quickly and is the most common vasodilator used to treat angina (chest discomfort).

OFF-PUMP BYPASS SURGERY (beating heart surgery) — in off-pump bypass surgery, rather than stopping the heart and using the heart-lung machine, the surgeon stabilizes portions of the heart and bypasses the blocked artery. Meanwhile, the rest of the heart keeps pumping and circulating blood to the body.

OPEN HEART SURGERY — any of a number of invasive cardiac (heart) surgical procedures.

PACEMAKER — a small electronic device that is implanted under the skin and sends electrical impulses through wires which are connected to the heart muscle to maintain a suitable heart rate and to prevent slow or rapid heart rates.

PALPITATION — a fluttering sensation in the chest that is often related to a missed heartbeat or rapid heartbeat.

PERIPHERAL ARTERY DISEASE (PAD) — damage or narrowing to the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart to your arms, legs or organs.

RESINS — type of drugs used to lower high blood cholesterol levels. They work by binding to certain substances in the intestine.

STATIN — medication that inhibits the production of cholesterol in the liver, reduces inflammation and lowers LDL cholesterol levels.

STENT — a small wire mesh tube, inserted after angioplasty that acts as a scaffold to provide support inside the artery.

STRESS TEST — a test done to help diagnose or evaluate the extent of heart disease. An activity is performed (riding a bike or walking on a treadmill) at increasing levels of effort. Blood pressure and EKG measurements are recorded throughout the test, as well as your perception of how much work you are doing. Medication may also be used to provoke the stress response if activity is not indicated.

TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK (TIA, also called a mini-stroke) — a sudden onset of temporary symptoms (loss of sensation,, movement, speech, mental function or vision) lasting minutes, or hours, that occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen-rich blood, but the effects wear off completely after resumption of blood-flow. It can be a warning sign for stroke. May be caused by carotid artery narrowing or blockage.

VASODILATOR — A type of medication that relaxes and dilates the blood vessels, allowing increased blood flow.