DISORDERS OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM Barbara J. Cohen,

Medical Terminology,

J.B. Lippincott Company, 1994, pp.114-116

Atherosclerosis

The accumulation of fatty deposits within the lining of an artery is termed atherosclerosis.

These areas, called plaques, gradually thicken and harden with fibrous material, cells, and other

deposits, restricting the lumen (opening) of the vessel and reducing blood flow to the tissues, a

condition known as ischemia.

Atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels is a primary cause of heart disease. One sign of such

coronary artery disease (CAD) is the type of chest pain known as angina pectoris. This is a feeling

of constriction around the heart or pain that may radiate to the left arm or shoulder, usually brought

on by exertion. Often there is anxiety, diaphoresis (sweating), and dyspnea (difficulty in

breathing). Angina pectoris is treated by control of exercise and administration of nitroglycerin to

dilate coronary vessels. Other drugs may be used to regulate the heartbeat, strengthen the force of

heart contraction, or prevent formation of blood clots. Severe cases may be candidates for

angioplasty, which is surgical dilatation of the blocked vessel by means of a catheter. Still further,

the blocked vessel may be surgically bypassed with a vascular graft.

Atherosclerosis also predisposes to thrombosis, the formation of a blood clot or thrombus

in a vessel. Sudden occlusion (blockage) of a coronary artery by a thrombus causes local necrosis

(death) of tissue and formation of an infarct. This is the myocardial infarction or “heart attack”

that is a leading cause of sudden death. Symptoms include pain over the heart (precordial pain) or

upper part of the abdomen (epigastric pain) that may extend to the jaw or arms, pallor (paleness),

diaphoresis, nausea, and dyspnea. There may be a burning sensation similar to indigestion or

heartburn. Often there is an abnormality of heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, usually fibrillation, an

extremely rapid, ineffective beating of the heart. Outcome is based on the degree of damage and

early treatment to dissolve the clot and reestablish normal heart rhythm. Myocardial infarction (MI)

can be diagnosed by electrocardiography (EKG), study of the electrical impulses given off by the

heart as it functions, by measurement of certain enzymes (CPK, LDH, AST) released into the blood

from the damaged heart muscle, and by a variety of other methods.

Atherosclerosis is a major cause of disease in industrialized countries, and the factors that

contribute to it are familiar to most people: heredity, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, a diet

high in fat, lack of exercise, and stress. Other vessels commonly affected are the aorta, the carotid

arteries leading to the head, the cerebral arteries, and arteries in the leg.

Embolism

Occlusion of a vessel by a thrombus or other mass carried in the bloodstream is embolism,

and the mass itself is called an embolus. Usually the mass is a blood clot that breaks loose from the

wall of a vessel, but it may also be air (as from injection or trauma), fat (as from marrow released

after a bone break), bacteria, or other solid materials. Often a venous thrombus will travel through

the heart and then lodge in an artery of the lungs, resulting in a life-threatening pulmonary

embolism. An embolus from a carotid artery often blocks a cerebral vessel, causing a stroke.

Aneurysm

An arterial wall weakened by atherosclerosis or other cause may balloon out, forming an

aneurysm. If the aneurysm ruptures, hemorrhage results, causing a stroke, or cerebrovascular

accident (CVA), if a cerebral artery is involved. In a dissecting aneurysm, blood hemorrhages into

the thick middle layer of the artery wall, separating the muscle as it spreads and sometimes

rupturing the vessel. The aorta is most commonly involved. It may be possible to repair a dissecting

aneurysm surgically with a graft.

Heart Failure

When the heart fails to empty effectively for any reason, the general term heart failure is

applied. The resulting increased pressure in the venous system leads to edema, often in the lungs

(pulmonary edema), and justifies the description congestive heart failure (CHF). Other symptoms

are cyanosis, dyspnea, and syncope. Heart failure is treated with rest, drugs to strengthen heart

contractions, diuretics to eliminate fluid, and restriction of salt in the diet.

Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a contributing factor in all the conditions described

above. In simple terms, hypertension is defined as a systolic pressure greater than 140 mm Hg or a

diastolic pressure greater than 90 mm Hg. It causes the left ventricle to enlarge (hypertrophy) as a

result of increased work. Some cases are secondary to other disorders, such as kidney malfunction

or endocrine disturbance, but most cases of hypertension are due to unknown causes and are

described as primary or essential hypertension. The condition is controlled with diuretics,

vasodilators, and most recently with drugs.

Medical terminology

1. Match the following terms to their proper definitions: a) atherosclerosis, b) cyanosis,

c) dyspnea, d) edema, e) embolism, f) embolus, h) fibrillation, i) heart failure, j) hypertension, k)

infarction, l) ischemia, m) murmur, n) phlebitis, o) stenosis, p) stroke, q) syncope, r) thrombosis, s)

thrombus.

1. The development of fatty, fibrous patches (plaques) in the lining of arteries, causing

narrowing of the lumen and hardening of the vessel wall. The most common form of

arteriosclerosis. (Root ather/o means “porridge” or “gruel”).

2. A blood clot that forms within a blood vessel.

3. Inflammation of a vein.

4. Localized necrosis (death) of tissue resulting from a blockage or a narrowing of the artery

that supplies the area. A myocardial infarction (MI) occurs in cardiac muscle and usually

results from formation of a thrombus in a coronary artery.

5. Swelling of body tissues due to the presence of excess fluid. Causes include cardiovascular

disturbances, kidney failure, inflammation, and malnutrition.

6. Local deficiency of blood supply due to obstruction of the circulation.

7. Constriction or narrowing of an opening.

8. Bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen.

9. Development of a blood clot within a vessel.

10. A condition caused by the inability of the heart to maintain adequate circulation of blood.

11. Difficult or labored breathing.

12. A temporary loss of consciousness due to inadequate blood flow to the brain; fainting.

13. Spontaneous, quivering and ineffectual contraction of muscle fibers, as in the atria or the

ventricles.

14. An abnormal heart sound.

15. Sudden damage to the brain resulting from reduction of blood flow. Causes include

atherosclerosis, thrombosis, or hemorrhage from a ruptured aneurysm. Also called

cerebrovascular accident. (CVA)

16. Obstruction of a blood vessel by a blood clot or other matter carried in the circulation.

17. A mass carried in the circulation. Usually a blood clot, but may also by air, fat, bacteria, or

other solid matter from within or from outside the body.

18. A condition of higher than normal blood pressure.

2. Match the terms in each of theses sets with their definitions and write the

appropriate letter (a-e) to the left of each number.

__ 1. endocardium a. heart’s pacemaker

__ 2. mitral b. thin membrane that lines the heart

__ 3. pericardium c. pertaining to the left atrioventricular valve

__ 4. SA node d. vessel that empties into the right atrium

__ 5. vena cava e. fibrous sac around the heart

__ 6. thrombosis a. local blood deficiency

__ 7. dysrhythmia b. formation of a blood clot in a vessel

__ 8. cardioversion c. abnormal heartbeat

__ 9. aneurysm d. defibrillation

__ 10. ischemia e. localized dilatation of a blood vessel

__ 11. fibrillation a. twisted and swollen vessel

__ 12. heart block b. part of the heart’s conduction system

__ 13. atheriosclerosis c. accumulation of fatty material in the vessels

__ 14. varix d. ineffective quivering of muscle

__ 15. Purkinje fibers e. interruption in the heart conduction system

__ 16. embolism a. central opening, as of a vessel

__ 17. ductus arteriosus b. area over the heart

__ 18. lumen c. blockage of a vessel with a clot or plug

__ 19. infarct d. vessel that bypasses the lungs in fetal circulation

__ 20. precordium e. area of dead tissue caused by lack of blood supply

3. Fill in the blanks:

1. Each upper receiving chamber of the heart is a(n) ….

2. The heart chamber that pumps into the aorta is the ….

3. A vessel that carries blood back to the heart is a(n) ….

4. The microscopic vessels through which materials are exchanged between the blood and the

tissues are the ….

5. The relaxation phase of the heart cycle is called ….

6. The large lymphoid organ in the upper left abdomen is the ….

7. The large artery that supplies the head is the …..

8. The large vein that drains the head is the …..

9. Endarteritis is inflammation of the lining of a(n) …..

10. Phlebostasis is stoppage of blood flow in a(n) ….

11. Thrombophlebitis is inflammation of a vein associated with formation of a(n) ….

12. Blood returning to the heart from the lungs enters the chamber of the heart named the ….

13. A small artery is called a(n) ….

14. The adjective ischemic means lacking in ….

15. The lymphoid gland in the chest is the ….

4. Select the correct answer:

1. The word percutaneous means:

a. on the skin b. through the skin c. into a vessel d. into the blood e. into the skin

2. The word transluminal pertains to the lumen of a vessel, which is the

a. wall b. branch c. outer layer d. central opening e. valve

3. The term that means backflow, as of blood, is

a. infarction b. regurgitation c. amplitude d. prolapse e. tourniquet

4. The popliteal vein is in the

a. arm b. thigh c. knee d. heart e. ankle

5. The interventricular septum is the

a. cavity of the ventricle b. wall between the atrium and ventricle c. valve between the atrium and

ventricle d. wall between the ventricles e. vessel that carries blood out of the ventricle

5. Write the adjective form of each of the following words:

septum, apex, aorta, artery, vein, ventricle, diastole, sclerosis, spleen, varix