THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

THE HEART
atri/o
cardi/o
sphygm/o
valvul/o
ventricul/o
mediastin/o

MEANING
Atrium
Heart
Pulse
Valve
Ventricle
In the middle

my/o
epiperiinterseptum
sin/o
electr/o
-gram
endo

Muscle
Above
Surrounding
Between
Dividing wall
Sinus; cavity
Electricity
Record
Within

EXAMPLE
Atrial=pertaining to the atrium
Cardiology=the study of the heart
Sphygmoscopy= examination of the
pulse
Valvulitis= inflammation of the valves
Ventricular= pertaining to the
ventricles
Mediastinum= the area of the chest
between the lungs
Myocardium= muscular middle layer
Epicardium= outer layer
Pericardium= fibrous sac enclosing the
heart
Interatrial septum= wall separating the
left and right atria
Sinoatrial= area of specialized tissue
Electrocardiogram= producing a
tracing of the heart with use of
electricity
Endocardium= inner membranous
layer

THE VASCULATURE
CF
angi/o
aort/o
arterio/o
arteriol/o
phleb/o
vas/o
vascul/o
ven/o
venul/o

MEANING
Vessel
Aorta
Artery
Arteriole
Vein
Vessel
Vessel
Vein
Venule

EXAMPLE
Angiography= visualization of the
blood vessels
Aortic= pertaining to the aorta
Arteriostenosis= narrowing of the
arteries
Arteriolar= pertaining to the arterioles
Phlebitis= inflammation of a vein
Vasoactive= acting on the blood
vessels
Vascular= pertaining to the blood
vessels
Venous= pertaining to the veins
Venular= pertaining to the venules

PATHOLOGIC SUBSTANCES
CF
ather/o
embol/o

MEANING
Fatty substance
Embolus

thromb/o

Clot

EXAMPLE
Atheroma= a fatty deposit
Embolism= a blockage due to an
embolus (circulating clot)
Thrombolysis= process of
dissolving a clot

SUFFIXES
Suffix
-cuspid

MEANING
Tapered; pointed

EXAMPLE
Tricuspid= having three points

-lunar
-sclerosis
-spasm

Moon-shaped
Hardening
Sudden
contraction

-tension
Tautness; blood
pressure
turning

-version

Semilunar= having the shape of a

half-moon
Arteriosclerosis= hardening of the
arteries
Vasospasm= sudden contractions
of the muscles in a blood vessel
Hypertension= elevated blood
pressure
Cardioversion=turning the heart to
a normal beat by applying an
electric shock

CIRCULATION
super/o
infer/o
tripulmon/o
semimitral
bi-

MEANING
Upper; above
Lower; below
Three
Lungs
Half
shaped like a
mitter or turban
two

EXAMPLE
Superior vena cava= upper part of
heart
Inferior vena cava= lower part of
heart
Tricuspid valve
Pulmonary Semilunar Valve
Mitral Valve
Bicuspid Valve

Blood Pressure
CF
Systole
Diastole

MEANING
Contraction
Expansion

EXAMPLE
Systole= contraction of ventricle
Diastole= heart muscle relaxation

TERMINOLOGY
PATHOLOGIC
CONDITIONS
aneurysm
(AN-nyer-iz-um)

WORD ELEMENTS

DEFINITION

an= backward
eurysm=to widen

balloon-like sac formed when weakening

of the arterial wall leads to a localized
dilation, introducing a risk of rupture of
the wall.

angina pectoris
(An-JIE-nuh or AN-jihnuh
PECK-ter-us)

angina= to choke
pector=chest
is=thing

angiospasm
(AN-jee-oh-SPAZ-um)

aortostenosis
(ay-OR-toe-steh-NOsis)

arrhythmia
(ay-RITH-me-uh)

arteriosclerosis
(ar-TEER-ee-oh-sklurOH-sis)

atheroma
(ATH-eh-OH-muh)

atherosclerosis
(ATH-er-oh-sklur-OHsis)

bradycardia
(BRAY-dee-KAR-deeuh)

angio= vessel
spasm= sudden
contraction
aorto= aorta
stenosis=
narrowing

a=without
rrhythm= rhythm
ia= condition
arterio= artery
sclerosis=
hardening

ather= fatty
substance
oma= tumor;
growth

athero= fatty
substance
sclerosis=
hardening

severe chest pain and a feeling of

suffocation resulting from inadequate
blood flow to the heart muscle.
sudden contraction of the smooth
muscle in a blood vessel wall, which can
temporarily inter-rupt blood flow
narrowing of the aorta, congenitally or
as a result of a disease; also called aortic
stenosis

any irregularity in the heartbeat

diminished elasticity in arterial walls,

usually due to normal aging processes;
also referred to as hardening of the
arteries.
fatty deposit that obstructs blood flow
through
a vessel; usually an artery; also referred
to as atherosclerotic plaque (ATH-er-ohsklur-OT-ick PLACK)
condition in which fatty deposits within a
blood vessel obstruct blood flow and
reduce the elas-ticity of the vessel
abnormally slow heart rate, usually
defined as 60 or fewer beats per minute.

brady= slow

cardi= heart
a= condition
cardiac arrest
cardi= heart
ac= pertaining to
arrest= stop
cardiomyopathy
(KAR-dee-oh-my-OPuh-thee)
coarctation
(KOE-ark-TAY-shun)
congestive heart
failure

coronary heart disease

embolism
(EM-bull-lih-zum)
endocarditis
(EN-doe-kar-DIE-tis)

cardio= heart
myo= muscle
pathy= disease
co= together
arcta= to tighten
tion= process
congest=to heap
together
ive= pertaining to

coron= heart;
crown
ary= pertaining to

embol= embolus
ism= condition
endo= within
card= heart
itis= inflammation

essential hypertension

fibrillation
(FIH-brul-LAY-shun)

hyper= excessive
tension= blood
pressure

cessation of heart function, usually due

to non-synchronous muscular
contractions

general term referring to any disease of

the heart muscle

narrowing of a blood vessel due to a

congenital malformation; most
commonly seen in the aorta
condition on which the ability of the
heart to pump blood is impaired, causing
fluid to back up in the lungs and other
tissues; also referred to as CHF

any disease process that impairs the

ability of the coronary arteries to deliver
an adequate supply of blood to the heart
muscle
sudden blockage of an artery by a clot or
other particle circulating in the blood
inflammation of the membrane lining the
interior of the heart (the endocardium),
usually due to infection
type of hypertension in which the cause
of elevated blood pressure is unknown

flutter

fibrilla= small
fiber
tion= process

irregular, quivering contractions of

ventricular muscle resulting from
desynchronization of electrical impulses
in the heart

heart block

flutter= to fly
about

condition characterized by rapid but

regular contractions of the atria or
ventricles; heart rate may exceed 250
beats per minute.

hypertension
(HI-per-TEN-shun)

no word elements

disturbance in the transmission of

electrical signals through the cardiac
conduction system

hypotension
(HI-poe-TEN-shun)

hyper= excessive
tension= blood
pressure

infarction
(in-FARK-shun)

ischemia
(iss-KEE-me-uh)
left ventricular
hypertrophy
(ven-TRII-kyoo-ler hi-

hypo= reduced
tension= blood
pressure
infarct= area of
tissue death
ion= process

consistently elevated blood pressure;

usually defined as blood pressure equal
to or greater than 140/90 on at least two
separate occassions
abnormally low blood pressure

area of tissue death (necrosis) occurring

as a result of oxygen deprivation; also
refers to the process by which a lesion is
formed

PER-troe-fee)
malignant
hypertension

mitral stenosis
(MY-trul steh-NO-sis)

mital valve prolapse

(MY-trul VALV PROlaps)

murmur
(MER-mer)

myocardial infarction
(MY-oh-KAR-dee-ul inFARK-shun)

isch= to suppress
emia= blood
condition
hyper= excessive
trophy=
nourishment;
growth
hyper= excessive
tension= blood
pressure
mitral= turbanshaped (valve)
stenosis=
narrowing
mitral= turbanshaped
(valve); pro= in
front of
lapse= falling;
sinking

myocarditis
(MY-oh-kar-DIE-tis)

no word elements

palpitation
(PAL-pih-TAY-shun)

myo= muscle
cardi= heart
al= pertaining to
infarct= area of
tissue death; ion=
process

pericarditis
(PEHR-ih-kar-DIE-tis)

peripheral vascular
disease

myo= muscle
card= heart
itis= inflammation

phlebitis
(fluh-BIE-tis)

palpitate= to
throb
ion= process

Raynauds
phenomenon
(ray-NOZE)

peri= surrounding
card= heart
itis= inflammation
vascul= vessel
ar= pertaining to

rheumatic heart
disease
(roo-MAT-ick)

temporary oxygen deficiency due to an

interrup-tion of blood flow to a tissue or
organ
enlargement of the left ventricular wall;
usually occurring as a result of chronic
hypertension

condition of dangerously high blood

pressure which is sustained over time,
causing damage to the vasculature
narrowing of the opening between the
left atrium and left ventricle, with
obstruction of blood flow between them
condition in which a flap of the mitral
(bicuspid) valve collapses into the left
atrium during systole

soft blowing sound heard between

normal beats of the heart, usually
resulting from vibration in a valve
condition in which delivery of oxygen to
a portion of the heart muscle is
impaired, resulting in death of the tissue
in that area; also referred to as a heart
or as an MI

inflammation of the muscular layer of

the heart wall (the myocardium), usually
due to infection

un unusually rapid or strong heart beat

that is perceptible (and often
frightening) to the patient
inflammation of the fibrous sac
surrounding the heart (the pericardium),
usually due to infection

progressive disease in which the blood

vessels of the legs become narrower,
usually due to atherosclerosis
inflammation of a vein

phleb= vein
itis= inflammation
no word elements

secondary
hypertension

rheumat= watery

vascular disorder in which the fingers

and toes become cold, numb, and
painful as a result of temporary
constriction of blood vessels in the skin

heart disease caused by rheumatic

tachycardia
(TACK-ee-KAR-dee-uh)

thrombosis
(throm-BOE-sis)

flow
ic= pertaining to

fever, in which persistent streptococcal

infection causes inflammation and
scarring of the valves, impairing their
ability to open and close normally

hyper= excessive
tension= blood
pressure

type of hypertension in which blood

pressure is elevated as a result of
another condition, usually kidney
disease

tachy= rapid
cardi= heart
a= condition

abnormally rapid heart rate, unusually

defined as 100 or more beats per minute

thromb= clot
osis= condition

condition in which a stationary blood clot

ob-structs a blood vessel at the site of
its formation

valvulitis
(VAL-vyoo-LIE-tis)
varicose vein

vasospasm
(VAY-zoe-SPAZ-um)

valvul= valve
itis= inflammation
varic= twisted
vein
ose= having
qualities of

inflammation of a valve; particularly one

of the valves within the heart
a superficial vein that has become
enlarged and twisted, usually as a result
of damage to a valve and subsequent
pooling of blood in a vein

vaso= vessel
spasm= sudden
contraction

sudden contraction of smooth muscle in

a blood vessel wall, which can
temporarily interrupt blood flow

DIAGNOSTIC
PROCEDURES
angiography
(AN-jee-OG-ruh-fee)

WORD ELEMENTS

DEFINITION

angio= vessel
graphy= recording

x-ray recording of blood vessels after

injection of a contrast agent

cardiac catheterization
(KATH-eh-ter-ih-ZAYshun)

cardi= heart
ac= pertaining to
catheter=
something
inserted
ization= process

procedure in which a small tube is

pushed through a blood vessel until it
reaches the heart; used to withdraw a
sample of blood directly from the heart
and to evaluate the coronary arteries

echocardiography
(ih-LECK-troe-KAR-deeOG-ruh-fee)

electro= electricity
cardio= heart
graphy= recording

technique in which high-frequency sound

waves are used to produce an image of
the internal structures of the heart

pericardiocentesis
(PEHR-ih-KAR-dee-ohsen-TEE-sis)

peri= surrounding
cardio= heart
centesis= puncture

procedure in which a hollow needle is

inserted through the chest wall into the
fibrous sac sur-rounding the heart (the
pericardium) to withdraw fluid for
diagnostic purposes or to relieve
pressure on the heart

sphygmomanometry
(SFIG-moe-meh-NOMeh-tree)

sphygmo= pulse
mano= thin
metry=
measurement

measurement of blood pressure using a

blood pressure cuff (a
sphygmomanometer)

stress test
no word elements

venography
(veh-NOG-ruh-fee)
ventriculography
(ven-TRICK-kyoo-LOGruh-fee)

veno= vein
graphy= recording

use of a treadmill or other exercise

equipment to measure a patients
cardiovascular response to exertion;
changes in the ECG during exercise can
provide evidence of various types of
heart disease; also called an exercise
tolerance test or ETT

ventriculo=
ventricle
graphy= recording

technique in which x-rays are used to

visualize the veins following injection of
a contrast agent
x-ray recording of a heart ventricle
following injection of a contrast agent

THERAPEUTIC
PROCEDU
RES
balloon angioplasty
(AN-jee-oh-PLASS-tee)

cardioversion
(KAR-dee-oh-VERzhun)

coronary artery bypass

graft

phlebotomy
(fluh-BOT-uh-me)
valvotomy
(val-VOT-uh-me)
valvuloplasty
(VAL-vyoo-loe-PLASStee)

WORD ELEMENTS

DEFINITION

angio= vessel
plasty= surgical
repair

procedure in which a deflated balloon is

pushed through a blood vessel to a site
of obstruction and is inflated to restore
the vessel to its normal size ;
alternatively, the inflated balloon may
be used to pull an embolus through the
blood vessel for removal from the body;
also called percutaneous transluminal
coronary angioplasty, or PTCA

cardio= heart
version= turning

coron= heart;
crown
ary= pertaining to

phlebo= vein
tomy= surgical
incision
valvo= valve
tomy= surgical
incision

application of an electrical shock to the

chest to restore a normal rhythm to the
heart beat; also referred to as
defibrillation
procedure in which a vein taken from the
leg or other part of the body is grafted
onto the heart to circumvent an
obstruction in a coronary artery; also
referred to as CABG (cabbage)
surgical opening of a vein (e.g to draw
blood or remove a blood clot)
surgical incision into a valve, usually to
increase the size of the opening

valvulo= valve
plasty= surgical
repair

surgical repair or replacement of a valve,

if a balloon is used to open the defective
valve, the procedure is called balloon
valvuloplasty

veni= vein
puncture=
puncture

procedure in which a vein (usually in the

forearm) is punctured with a needle,
usually to withdraw blood for diagnostic
purposes

venipuncture
(VEH-nee-PUNK-chur)