Cardio Vascular System

Erythrocytes (rbc) Red blood cells Transports oxygen Haematocrit (pcv) Packed cell volume (the volume of red blood cells expressed as a fraction) Haematuria Blood in the urine Haematemesis Vomiting blood

Angioplasty Repair or reconstruction of narrowed or blocked blood vessels by enlarging the lumen of the blood vessel using a balloon mounted on the tip of a flexible catheter Angiography Imaging blood vessels by computerised tomographic angiography in which a contrast agent, usually injected into a vein enhances the density of the blood which can be seen as 2 or 3 dimensional images, with surrounding tissues hidden by the computer Aneurysm An abnormal balloon like swelling in the wall of an artery due to disease or congenital deficiency., an Aortic aneurysm frequently occurs in the abdominal aorta, known as a triple A (AAA) Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Angiology The branch of medicine concerned with the structure, function and disease of blood vessels Thrombosis A condition in which the blood changes from a a liquid to a solid state in the cardio vascular system and produces a mass of coagulated blood (blood clot) (a thrombosis occurs in a specific area as opposed to an embolism which moves) Haemodialysis A technique of removing waste materials or poisons from the blood using the principle of dialysis Haemophilia A hereditary disorder in which the blood clots very slowly due to a deficiency in either of the two coagulating factors (factor 8 or Factor 9) Haem/ Haemo/ Haemat Haemato Pertaining to the blood Haemotology The stuffy of blood/ blood forming tissues and the disorders associated with them. Atherosclerosis A disease of the arteries in which fatty plaques develop on their inner walls, with eventful obstruction of blood flow.

Atheroma Degeneration of the walls of the arteries due to the formation of fatty plaques and scar tissues. Limits blood circulation and predisposes to thrombosis. Phlebitis Inflammation of the wall of a vein which is most commonly seen in the legs as a complication of varicose veins-a segment of a vein becomes painful and tender and the surrounding skin feels hot and appears read Varicose Veins Veins that are distended, lengthened and tortuous, the superficial veins of the legs are most commonly affected. Myocardial Infarction (MI) Death of a segment of heart muscle, which follows interruption of its blood supply. The patient experiences a Heart Attack sudden severe chest pain which may spread to the heart and throat. The main danger is that of ventricular fibrillation, which accounts for most of the fatalities. Fibrillation Chaotic electrical and mechanical activity of a heart chamber, which results in loss of synchronous contraction. The affected part of the heart then ceases to pump blood. Embolus material such as blood clot, fat, air amniotic fluid or a foreign body that is carried by the blood form one point in the circulation to lodge at another point Embolism The condition in which an embolus becomes lodged in an artery and obstructs its blood flow. Treatment is by anticoagulant. Major embolism is treated by embolectomy. Pulmonary embolism Obstruction of the pulmonary artery by embolus, usually a blood clot derived from phlebothrombosis of the leg veins. Congenital Heart disease (CHD) Heart defects present from birth (congenital) may be due to a fault in development during the early embryo. Some types of CHD run in families suggesting there is a genetic influence, although usually there is no obvious cause. However in some cases there is a link with the mother catching an infection such as rubella during pregnancy or being exposed to certain drugs. CHD Congenital Heart Disease CHD Chronic Heart Disease Symptoms include breathlessness and in infants poor weight gain. Angina A sense of suffocation or suffocation pain.

Angina Pectoris Pain in the centre of the chest, which is induced by exercise and relieved by rest and may spread to the jaws and arms. Angina Pectoris occurs when the

demand for blood by the heart exceeds the supply of the coronary arteries and usually results from coronary artery atheroma. Isch Suppression

Ischemia An inadequate flow of blood to a part of the body, caused by constriction or blockage of the blood supplying it. Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) or coronary heart disease (CHD) A disease in which the supply of oxygen to the myocardium is inadequate. Usually as a result of narrowing of the lumen of the coronary arteries by atheroma. The main symptom is chest pain of varying intensity. Untreated it can lead to coronary thrombosis and myocardial infarction. X-rays Electromagnetic radiation of extremely short wavelength, which passes through matter to varying degrees depending on its density. X-rays are used in diagnostic radiology. Great care is needed to avoid unnecessary exposure, because radiation is harmful. Electro Cardiogram (ECG) A tracing of the electrical activity of the heart recorded by electro cardiography. It aids the diagnosis of heart disease, which may produce characteristic changes in the E.C.G. CABG Coronary Artery Bypass Graft