ACE inhibitors |
A group of medications that work by inhibiting an enzyme that is important in the regulation of blood pressure |
aetiology |
A branch of medical science concerned with the causes and origins of diseases |
angina pectoris |
A disease marked by brief attacks of chest pain caused by lack of oxygen to the heart muscles |
angiogram |
See ‘coronary angiogram’ |
angiography |
See ‘coronary angiography’ |
angiotensin II |
A group of medications that work in a similar fashion to ACE inhibitors |
arteries |
Vessels which carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body |
atheroma |
Fatty material that can build up within the walls of the arteries |
atrial fibrillation |
A condition where the heart beats irregularly, resulting in ineffective pumping of blood into the ventricle |
atrium; atria; atrial |
The thin-walled chambers (right and left) of the heart that pump blood into the ventricles. |
beta-blockers |
A class of drugs that slow heart action and increase coronary blood flow by blocking the activity of beta-receptors |
biventricular pacing |
A pacemaker that has leads into both the left atrium and ventricle, allowing co-ordinated contraction of the heart |
cardiac |
To do with the heart |
cardiac catheterisation |
A test to find out about the condition of the heart |
cardiologist |
A doctor specialising in heart disease |
cardiomegaly |
Enlargement of the heart |
cardiomyopathy |
General diagnostic term for disease of the heart. |
catheterisation |
See ‘cardiac catheterisation’ |
coronary angiogram |
A picture which show where the coronary arteries are narrowed and how narrow they have become |
coronary angiography |
A test to show where the coronary arteries are narrowed and how narrow they have become |
coronary heart disease |
When atheroma builds up in the inside walls of the coronary arteries |
digoxin |
A drug that controls ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation and increases the strength of contraction |
diuretic |
An agent that promotes the excretion of urine |
Doppler echocardiography |
A technique to measure how fast the blood flows in different parts of the heart |
dyspnoea |
Shortness of breath, difficult or laboured breathing. |
dysrhythmia |
An abnormal rhythm |
ECG |
See ‘electrocardiogram’ |
echocardiogram |
A test which uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to create a picture of the heart which show the structure of the heart and how it is working |
electrocardiogram |
A test to record the rhythm and electrical activity of the heart on a moving strip of paper. Also called an ECG |
electro-physiological testing |
A technique for detecting and giving information about abnormal heart rhythms |
endocardial |
Seated or generated within the heart |
enzymes |
Proteins that help stimulate chemical actions in the body |
exercise ECG |
See ‘exercise electrocardiogram’ |
exercise electrocardiogram |
A test to record the rhythm and electrical activity of the heart, carried out while the person is taking exercise. |
HMG CoA reductase inhibitor. |
A drug which interferes with the chemical process of building up cholesterol |
Holter monitoring |
A 24-hour recording of an electrocardiogram |
hydralazine |
A drug used to cause dilation of the blood vessels used in the treatment of hypertension |
Implantable Loop Recorder |
A recording device used for finding out about the cause of infrequent symptoms such as dizzy spells or blackouts |
ischaemic heart disease |
Anaemia of heart tissue due to obstruction of the inflow of arterial blood |
isosorbide dinitrate
(H-ISDN) |
A drug used to cause dilation of the blood vessels used in the treatment of angina |
Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
A technique which produces detailed pictures of internal organs of the body by exposing them to a strong magnetic field. Also called MRI. |
MRI |
See ‘Magnetic Resonance Imaging’ |
myocardial |
Refers to the heart's muscle mass |
myocardial infarction |
A term used to describe irreversible injury to heart muscle: a heart attack |
natriuretic peptide |
This cardiac hormone regulates salt and water balance in body fluids and blood pressure |
negative specificity |
The ability of a test to rule out the presence of a condition |
nitrates |
A group of medications that relax smooth muscle, dilate veins, lower blood pressure and improve blood flow through the coronary arteries. |
oedema |
An abnormal infiltration and excess accumulation of fluid in connective tissue or in a serous cavity |
palpitation |
A subjective sensation of a rapid, irregular or forceful beating of the heart that the patient is aware of |
pericardial |
Situated around the heart |
PET scan |
Positron Emission Tomography scan. A test to examine the flow of blood and see how the heart muscle is working |
primary care |
Primary Care is a blanket term covering the activities centred around GP practices. The Primary Care Team involves not only the doctors but other staff such as district nurses, dentists, pharmacists, opticians and health visitors. |
radionuclide test |
A test which provides a picture of the heart. |
revascularisation |
A procedure that opens up blocked arteries |
secondary care |
Secondary care services are generally those delivered in a hospital setting whether on an outpatient, day case or inpatient basis |
spironolactone |
A diuretic |
systolic |
The period of time when the heart is contracted |
technetium scan |
A type of radionuclide test |
tertiary care |
Specialised consultant care by specialists working in a centre that has personnel and facilities for special investigation and treatment. |
thallium scan |
A type of radionuclide test |
thrombolysis |
Dissolving of a thrombus (a clot of blood formed within a blood vessel and remaining attached to its place of origin) |
transoesophageal |
Across the oesophagus (gullet) |
ventricle; ventricular |
The paired (right and left) more muscular chambers of the heart that receive blood from a corresponding atrium and from which blood is forced into the arteries |
