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Aneurysms
An aneurysm (AN-u-rism) is an abnormal bulge or “ballooning” in the wall of an artery. An aneurysm that grows and becomes large enough can burst, causing dangerous, often fatal, bleeding inside the body.

Angina
Angina (an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh) is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle does not get enough blood. Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. The pain may also occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It may also feel like indigestion.

Angiography
A procedure to x-ray blood vessels. Dye is injected into the vessel using a catheter or small tube. The blood vessels can be seen because the dye shows up in the x-ray pictures. It can be used to identify blockages and other problems interfering with the flow of blood, for example in the legs, heart, or brain.*

Angioplasty
A procedure to open clogged arteries. A catheter, positioned in the narrowed coronary artery, has a tiny balloon or other device at its tip. The device is used to stretch or break open the narrowing and improve the passage for blood flow. The catheter is then removed.*

Arrhythmia
An arrhythmia (ah-RITH-me-ah) is a problem with the speed or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm.

Arteriography
Coronary angiography (or arteriography) is a test used to explore the coronary arteries. A fine tube (catheter) is put into an artery of an arm or leg and passed through the tube into the arteries of the heart. The heart and blood vessels are then filmed while the heart pumps. The picture that is seen, called an angiogram or arteriogram, will show problems such as a blockage caused by heart disease.*

Arteriosclerosis
General term for the thickening and the hardening of arteries. Its development is accelerated by high blood pressure.*

Artery
Vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the body. The major arteries of the heart are called the coronary arteries.*

Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the hardening and narrowing of the arteries. It is caused by the slow buildup of plaque on the inside of walls of the arteries.

Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (A-tre-al fi-bri-LA-shun) is a condition in which the two small upper chambers of the heart, the atria, quiver instead of beating effectively. Although atrial fibrillation is not in itself considered life-threatening, people with it are at an increased risk for blood clots and stroke.*

Atrial Septal Defect
An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a hole in the wall (septum) that separates the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart. The defect allows blood to flow from one atrium to the other, usually from the left side to the right side. This causes extra blood flow: in the right atrium, in the right ventricle, to the lungs.

Automatic implantable defibrillator
A device used to correct serious ventricular arrhythmias that can lead to sudden death. The defibrillator is surgically placed inside the patient's chest. There, it monitors the heart's rhythm and quickly identifies serious arrhythmias. With an electrical shock, it immediately disrupts a deadly arrhythmia.*

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Balloon angioplasty
A procedure to open clogged arteries. A catheter, positioned in the narrowed coronary artery, has a tiny balloon at its tip. The balloon is inflated and deflated to stretch or break open the narrowing and improve the passage for blood flow. The balloon-tipped catheter is then removed.*

Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the amount of force exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries. Usually, blood pressure is expressed in two numbers, such as 120/80, and is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).*

Body mass index (BMI)
A measure of weight relative to height to determine if a person is overweight.*

Bradycardia
A slower than normal heartbeat.*

Bypass Surgery
In a coronary artery bypass operation, a blood vessel, usually taken from the leg or chest, is grafted onto the blocked artery, bypassing the blocked area. If more than one artery is blocked, a bypass can be done on each. The blood can then go around the obstruction to supply the heart with enough blood to relieve chest pain.*

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Cardiogenic Shock
Cardiogenic (kar-dee-oh-JE-nik) shock is a state in which a weakened heart isn't able to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. It is a medical emergency and is fatal if not treated right away. The most common cause of cardiogenic shock is damage to the heart muscle from a severe heart attack.

Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy (KAR-de-o-mi-OP-a-the) refers to diseases of the heart muscle. These diseases have a variety of causes, symptoms, and treatments. In cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes enlarged or abnormally thick or rigid. In rare cases, the muscle tissue in the heart is replaced with scar tissue.

Cardiovascular diseases
Diseases of the heart and blood vessel system, such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, angina (chest pain), and rheumatic heart disease.*

Cardioversion
A procedure that rapidly restores a person's heart rate to a normal rhythm by delivering a shock of electricity directly to the heart. This can be used in the treatment of arrhythmia.*

Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization is a test used to explore the coronary arteries, using a fine tube (catheter) that's put into an artery or vein of an arm or leg and passed into the arteries of the heart. Can be used in the diagnosis of heart disease. *

Cerebrovascular diseases
Diseases of the brain and its main blood vessels. In a stroke, for example, the loss of blood flow results in sudden loss of function of part of the brain. Stroke may be caused by a clot (thrombosis) or rupture (hemorrhage) of a blood vessel to the brain.*

Cholesterol
A waxy substance produced by the body and taken in with food. The body needs cholesterol for functions such as making hormones. When too much cholesterol circulates in the blood, it leads to atherosclerosis and an increased risk of heart disease. Blood cholesterol refers to the cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream; dietary cholesterol is the cholesterol consumed in food.*

Congenital Heart Defects
Congenital (kon-JEN-i-tal) heart defects are problems with the heart’s structure that are present at birth. These defects can involve the interior walls of the heart, valves inside the heart, or the arteries and veins that carry blood to the heart or out to the body. Congenital heart defects change the normal flow of blood through the heart.

Congestive heart failure (CHF)
Also called heart failure, is a serious condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to supply the body's needs. CHF occurs when excess fluid starts to leak into the lungs, causing breathing difficulty, fatigue and weakness, and sleeping problems. High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for CHF.*

Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle (the coronary arteries) become hardened and narrowed. The arteries harden and narrow due to buildup of a material called plaque (plak) on their inner walls. As the plaque increases in size, the insides of the coronary arteries get narrower and less blood can flow through them. Eventually, blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced, and because blood carries much-needed oxygen, the heart muscle is not able to receive the amount of oxygen it needs.

Diastolic blood pressure
The second or bottom number in a blood pressure reading. Diastolic blood pressure is the minimum pressure that remains within the artery when the heart is at rest.*

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Echocardiogram
This test uses sound waves to create a picture of the heart. The picture is more detailed than an x-ray image. This test can be used in the diagnosis of a number of heart conditions including valve disorders, cardiomyopathy and heart attack.*

Electrocardiogram
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a graphic record of the electrical activity of the heart as it contracts and rests. It can be used in the diagnosis of a number of heart conditions including valve disorders, arrhythmias, and heart attack.*

Electron beam computed tomography (EBCT)
This test identifies and measures calcium buildup in and around the coronary arteries. Calcium build-ups can indicate an increased risk of heart disease.*

Endocarditis
Bacterial endocarditis occurs when bacteria in the blood stream lands on abnormal heart valves or other damaged heart tissue.*

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Fat
One of the nutrients that supply calories to the body. The body needs only small amounts of fat. Foods contain different types of fat. Saturated fat, for example, is found in greatest amounts in food from animals, such as butter, cheese, milk, and cream, as well as meat and poultry skin. A few vegetable fats - coconut oil, cocoa butter, palm kernel oil, and palm oil - are also high in saturated fats.*

Fibric Acid Derivatives
A type of cholesterol-lowering drug.*

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Generic drug
A medicine that has the same active drug as a trademarked brand-named version. Generic drugs usually cost less than their brand-name versions.*

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Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to a section of heart muscle becomes blocked. If the flow of blood isn’t restored quickly, the section of heart muscle becomes damaged from lack of oxygen and begins to die.

Heart disease
Diseases of the heart. These include conditions that affect the heart's valves and muscle.*

Heart Failure
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood throughout the body. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped or is about to stop working. It means that your heart is not able to pump blood the way that it should. The heart can’t fill with enough blood or pump with enough force, or both.

Heart Murmur
A heart murmur is an extra or unusual sound heard during your heartbeat. Murmurs range from very faint to very loud and sometimes sound like a whooshing or swishing noise. Normal heartbeat sounds—"lub-DUPP" or "lub-DUB"—are the valves closing as blood moves through the heart. A heart murmur is not a disease; it is a sound that the doctor hears with a stethoscope. It may be normal, or it could be a sign that something may be wrong. Most heart murmurs are harmless. Some are signs of heart problems, especially if other signs or symptoms of a heart problem are present.

High blood cholesterol
Too much cholesterol in the blood, or high blood cholesterol, can be serious. People with high blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart disease. High blood cholesterol on its own does not cause symptoms, so many people are unaware that their cholesterol level is too high. Cholesterol can build up on the walls of your arteries (blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body).

High blood pressure
High blood pressure is a blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher.

How the heart works
Your heart is a muscular organ that acts like a pump to send blood throughout your body all the time.Your heart is at the center of your circulatory system, which delivers blood to all areas of your body. An electrical system regulates the heart and uses electrical signals to contract the heart’s walls. When the walls contract, blood is pumped into your circulatory system.Your circulatory system is made up of a network of blood vessels, such as arteries, veins, and capillaries. The vessels in this network carry blood to and from all areas of your body. A system of inlet and outlet valves in your heart’s chambers works to ensure that blood flows in the right direction.Your heart is vital to your health and nearly everything that goes on in your body. Without the heart’s pumping action, blood can’t circulate within your body.Your blood carries the oxygen and nutrients that your organs need to function normally. Blood also carries carbon dioxide, a waste product, to your lungs to be passed out of your body and into the air. A healthy heart supplies the areas of your body with the right amount of blood at the right rate needed to function normally. If disease or injury weakens your heart, your body’s organs won’t receive enough blood to function normally.

Hypertension
The medical term for high blood pressure (blood pressure reading of 140/90 mm Hg or higher)*

Hypotension
Hypotension is abnormally low blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is a reading of less than 120/80 mmHg (mmHg = millimeters of mercury, a unit for measuring pressure). Hypotension is blood pressure that is lower than 90/60 mmHg.

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Ischemic
Refers to the state of not having enough blood flow.*

Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH)
A condition in older adults in which only the systolic blood pressure is high (systolic at or above 140 mm Hg and diastolic under 90 mm Hg). ISH is the most common form of high blood pressure for older Americans.*

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Lipids
Fatty substances, including cholesterol and triglycerides, that are present in blood and body tissues.*

Lipoprotein Profile
A blood test that measures cholesterol numbers, usually done after a 9-12 hour fast. The test gives information about Total cholesterol; LDL (bad) cholesterol; HDL (good) cholesterol; and Triglycerides.*

Lipoproteins
Protein-coated packages that carry fat and cholesterol through the bloodstream.*

Long QT Syndrome
Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a disorder of the heart's electrical activity that may cause you to develop a sudden, uncontrollable, and dangerous heart rhythm (called an arrhythmia) in response to exercise or stress. Such abnormal heart rhythms also can develop for no known reason in people who have LQTS. Not everyone who has LQTS develops a dangerous heart rhythm, but if one does occur, it may be fatal.

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Magnetic resonance imaging
MRI. This is a type of imaging involving the use of magnetic fields linked to a computer to create detailed pictures inside the body and head, and detect subtle changes in the tissues. MRI can be used in the diagnosis of cancer, as well as to identify damage from a heart attack, diagnose certain congenital heart defects, evaluate blood vessel problems, and aid in the evaluation of stroke damage.*

Marfan Syndrome
Marfan syndrome is a disorder of connective tissue. Connective tissue holds all the parts of your body together and helps control growth. Connective tissue gets some of its strength from a protein called fibrillin 1. Fibrillin 1 also plays an important role in controlling the growth and development of the body. In Marfan syndrome, the body produces fibrillin 1 that does not work properly. As a result, the connective tissue is not as strong as it should be, and the growth and development of the body are affected.

Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors linked to overweight and obesity that increase your chance for heart disease and other health problems such as diabetes and stroke. The term “metabolic” refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body’s normal functioning. Risk factors are behaviors or conditions that increase your chance of getting a disease.

Mitral Valve Prolapse
Mitral (MI-tral) valve prolapse (MVP) is a condition in which one of the valves of the heart, the mitral valve, doesn’t work properly. The flaps of the valve are “floppy” and don’t close tightly. Much of the time, MVP doesn’t cause any problems. Rarely, blood can leak the wrong way through the floppy valve, which may cause shortness of breath, palpitations, chest pain, and other symptoms.

mm Hg
Abbreviation for millimeters of mercury. It is used to express measures of blood pressure. It refers to the height to which the pressure in your blood vessels would push a column of mercury.*

Murmur
Heart murmurs are sounds made as the blood moves through the heart.*

Myocardial Infarction
When the heart does not get enough blood flow and the heart muscle dies. Also known as a heart attack.*

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Nuclear Heart Scan
Nuclear heart scans (also called Radionuclide Imaging or Radionuclide Ventriculography) use radioactive tracers (such as technetium or thallium) to outline heart chambers and major blood vessels leading to and from the heart. A nuclear heart scan shows any damage to your heart muscle. It can be used in the diagnosis of heart disease, valve disorders, or heart failure.*

Overweight and Obesity
The terms “overweight” and “obesity” refer to a person’s overall body weight and where the extra weight comes from. Overweight is having extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat, and/or water. Obesity is having a high amount of extra body fat. The most useful measure of overweight and obesity is the body mass index (BMI). BMI is based on height and weight and is used for adults, children, and teens.

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Pacemaker
A pacemaker is a small battery-operated electronic device that is used to help the heart beat regularly. Can be used in the treatment of arrhythmia.*

Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a heart problem that occurs soon after birth in some babies. In PDA, there is an abnormal circulation of blood between two of the major arteries near the heart. Before birth, the two major arteries—the aorta and the pulmonary artery—are normally connected by a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus, which is an essential part of the fetal circulation. After birth, the vessel is supposed to close within a few days as part of the normal changes occurring in the baby's circulation. In some babies, however, the ductus arteriosus remains open (patent). This opening allows blood to flow directly from the aorta into the pulmonary artery, which can put a strain on the heart and increase the blood pressure in the lung arteries.

Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) occurs when a fatty material called plaque (plak) builds up on the inside walls of the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the head, internal organs, and limbs. PAD is also known as atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease.

Plaque
Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. As it grows, the buildup of plaque narrows the inside of the artery and, in time, may restrict blood flow. There are two types of plaque:

• Hard and stable
• Soft and stable

Hard plaque causes artery walls to thicken and harden. Soft plaque is more likely to break apart from the walls and enter the bloodstream. This can cause a blood clot that can partially or totally block the flow of blood in the artery.

Potassium
A mineral in the body's cells needed for maintaining fluid balance. Good sources of potassium are bananas and orange juice. Salt substitutes usually contain potassium. *

PTCA - Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty
A procedure to open clogged arteries. A catheter, positioned in the narrowed coronary artery, has a tiny balloon at its tip. The balloon is inflated and deflated to stretch or break open the narrowing and improve the passage for blood flow. The balloon-tipped catheter is then removed.*

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Raynaud's Disease
Raynaud's disease and Raynaud's phenomenon are rare disorders that affect blood vessels. These disorders are marked by brief episodes of vasospasm (narrowing of the blood vessels). Vasospasm causes decreased blood flow to the fingers and toes, and rarely to the nose, ears, nipples, and lips. The fingers are the most commonly affected area, but the toes also are affected in 40 percent of people with Raynaud's.

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Salt
Common table salt or sodium chloride (NaCl).*

Saturated fat
A type of fat found in greatest amounts in food from animals, such as butter, cheese, milk, and cream, as well as meat and poultry skin. A few vegetable fats - coconut oil, cocoa butter, palm kernel oil, and palm oil - are also high in saturated fats.*

Sinus rhythm
A normal heartbeat.*

Sodium
A mineral that can contribute to a high blood pressure in some people. It is found in baking soda, some antacids, and the food preservative MSG (monosodium glutamate) among other items.*

Sphygmomanometer
This is a device used to measure blood pressure. By using a special cuff wrapped around your arm, the sounds of your blood rushing through an artery can be heard through a stethoscope. Two readings are given - one when your heart is contracting, one when it's at rest.*

Statins
A type of cholesterol-lowering drug that keeps the liver from producing as much cholesterol and help the liver take more out of the blood stream.*

Stenosis
Stenosis or narrowing can happen in heart disease to a valve when the valve is stiff and can't open all the way. The result is that the heart must work harder to move blood.*

Stent
A stent is a wire mesh tube that's permanently inserted into an artery to help keep it from closing up again. Stents can be used along with angioplasty to help keep an artery open following a heart attack or stroke.*

Stress Test
Stress test or treadmill test is used to record the heartbeat during exercise. Can be used in the diagnosis of heart disease.*

Stroke
Sudden loss of function of part of the brain because of loss of blood flow. Stroke may be caused by a clot (thrombosis) or rupture (hemorrhage) of a blood vessel to the brain.*

Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), also known as sudden cardiac death, is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When this occurs, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. SCA usually causes death if not treated in minutes.

Systolic blood pressure
The first or top number in a blood pressure reading. The maximum pressure produced as the heart contracts and blood begins to flow. As systolic pressure rises, especially reaching or passing 140, so does the risk of getting heart disease.*

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Tachycardia
A rapid heartbeat.*

Tetralogy of Fallot
Tetralogy of Fallot (teh-TRALL-o-gee of fall-O) is a serious and complex heart defect that is present at birth. A baby's heart begins to form shortly after conception and is complete by the end of the second month of pregnancy. During this time, tetralogy of Fallot can occur.

Tilt Table Test
A tilt table test can be used to diagnose patients with unexplained fainting spells or syncope. During the test, heart rate, blood pressure or other measurements can be made while the patient lies on a table which is tilted so he or she can be monitored in different positions from lying down to standing upright.*

Triglycerides
Lipids carried through the bloodstream to tissues. Most of the body's fat tissue is in the form of triglycerides, stored for use as energy. Triglycerides are obtained primarily from fat in foods.*

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Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are swollen and twisted veins that are visible just under the surface of the skin. They appear most commonly in the legs, but also can develop in other parts of the body.

Vascular
A term to describe blood vessels.*

Vasculitis
Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels in the body. In vasculitis, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own blood vessels, causing them to become inflamed. Inflammation can damage the blood vessels and lead to a number of serious complications.

Veins
Vessels that carry blood from the body to the heart.*

Ventricular Septal Defect
Ventricular (ven-TRICK-u-lar) septal defect (VSD) is a hole (defect) in the wall that separates the lower chambers of the heart. The lower chambers of the heart are called the ventricles (VEN-trih-kuls). The wall between them is called the ventricular septum. In the normal heart, the septum prevents blood from flowing directly from one ventricle to the other. In a heart with a VSD, blood can flow directly between the two ventricles.

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