Coronary
Artery Disease Treatment — Coronary Artery
Disease Prevention Medical Dictionary
The majority of people who suffer from coronary
artery disease have at least one controllable
risk factor. Knowing what the risk factors are
and how to handle them, therefore, is important.
This medical dictionary covers terms used in
the report, The Healthy Heart: Preventing,
detecting, and treating coronary artery disease
Glossary, and includes details on the structure
of the heart, risk factors, symptoms of disease,
the cholesterol and fats that are either harmful
or beneficial, and more.
angina: Chest pain or discomfort
that develops when the heart muscle isn’t
getting enough oxygen and blood; also known as
angina pectoris.
angioplasty: A procedure used
to widen narrowed arteries, most commonly by
inserting a thin tube, or catheter, into the
affected artery and inflating a balloon.
arrhythmias: Disorders of the
heart’s pumping rhythm.
atherosclerosis: The buildup
of fatty deposits in the walls of arteries; the
disease responsible for most heart attacks and
many strokes.
cholesterol: A waxy, fat-like
substance that is present in animal tissues and
produced by the liver. Excess levels can build
up in artery walls.
congestive heart failure: A
disorder caused by a decrease in the heart’s
ability to pump blood. May lead to the accumulation
of fluid in the lungs, lower legs, or abdomen,
resulting in shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue,
or swelling.
coronary arteries: The small
blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to
the heart muscle.
coronary arteriography: An
x-ray procedure that shows blood moving through
the blood vessels and heart. It involves the
injection into the bloodstream of a fluid (contrast
agent) that can be seen on the x-ray. Also known
as coronary angiography; the resulting image
is called an angiogram.
coronary artery bypass surgery: Surgery
that bypasses a blocked coronary artery by grafting
a blood vessel taken from another part of the
body to restore blood flow to the heart muscle.
coronary artery disease: The
most important form of heart disease, caused
by the buildup of fatty plaques in the coronary
arteries.
C-reactive protein (CRP): A
by-product of inflammation.
creatine kinase: An enzyme
produced by skeletal tissue and heart muscle.
One form, creatine kinase-MB, is produced only
by the heart; it’s usually elevated only
when there has been damage to heart tissue — for
example, because of a heart attack. A blood test
for this enzyme can aid in the diagnosis of heart
attack.
diastolic blood pressure: The
pressure in the arteries while the heart is refilling
with blood between beats; the second and lower
of the two numbers obtained when blood pressure
is measured.
electrocardiogram (EKG): A
graph recording the electrical activity responsible
for the contraction and relaxation of the heart.
fibrinogen: A chemical that
is part of the blood-clotting process.
heart attack: Damage to, or
death of, heart muscle because of insufficient
blood supply; the medical term is myocardial
infarction.
high blood pressure: A longstanding
increase in blood pressure above the normal range — that
is, abnormally high pressure of blood flow against
the artery walls; also called hypertension.
high-density lipoprotein (HDL): A
lipoprotein that transports cholesterol from
body cells to the liver and other sites for elimination;
called “good” cholesterol.
homocysteine: High blood levels
of this amino acid have been associated with
an increased risk for heart disease. B vitamins
appear to reduce blood levels of homocysteine.
ischemia: Decreased blood flow
that compromises the supply of oxygen and nutrients
to organs or tissues.
lipids: Fats, oils, and waxes
that serve as building blocks for cells of the
body or as energy sources; also capable of accumulating
in the artery walls to form the plaques of atherosclerosis.
lipoprotein: A combination
of fat (lipid) molecules and protein molecules
bound together as packages that enable other
fats and cholesterol to move easily through the
blood. See low-density lipoprotein and high-density
lipoprotein.
lipoprotein(a): A type of lipid
that is similar in structure to LDL.
low-density lipoprotein (LDL): Spherical
particles that transport cholesterol in the blood;
called “bad” cholesterol because
high levels are associated with a high risk for
heart attack.
myocardial infarction: Heart
attack.
plaque: Deposits of cholesterol
and fatty and fibrous substances in the walls
of the arteries.
platelets: Small, fragmentary
blood cells that initiate the clotting process.
prehypertension: A condition
that increases the risk of developing high blood
pressure; defined as 120–139 mm Hg systolic
pressure or 80–89 diastolic pressure.
restenosis: Renarrowing of
a blood vessel that has been widened (with or
without stents) during angioplasty.
statins: Cholesterol-lowering
medications that interfere with the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme
A reductase; also known as HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitors. Statins work by changing the way
the liver processes lipids.
stent: A wire mesh device inserted
into a coronary artery to prop it open once a
blockage has been cleared by angioplasty.
stress test: A diagnostic test
in which cardiovascular measurements — including
heart rate, blood pressure, and electrical activity — are
recorded while the heart is being “stressed” (usually
by having the person exercise on a treadmill
or bicycle).
systolic blood pressure: The
pressure in the arteries at the point when the
heart pumps; the first and higher of the two
numbers obtained when blood pressure is measured.
thrombolytic agents: Agents
or medications that dissolve blood clots and
restore blood flow through a blocked artery;
used to treat heart attack and stroke. Also called “clot
busters.”
triglycerides: Particles that
transport fats through the bloodstream.
|
HOME
MY
CART
Printed
Version:
12
monthly issues
