Heart Attacks Dictionary

ACB (albumin cobalt binding): A test used to rule out or confirm a heart attack.

ACE Inhibitor: A type of medication that encourages blood vessels to relax and dilate by inhibiting the action of angiotensin converting enzymes.

acute: Describes a condition that develops quickly, is of short duration and which may require immediate care.

adrenaline: A substance produced by the adrenal gland that increases heartbeat, dilates the lungs bronchioles and strengthens heart contractions.

AMI (acute myocardial infarction): A heart attack. The death of muscle tissue. angina pectoris: Constricting chest pain caused by coronary artery disease, which reduces the amount of oxygen available to the heart muscles.

angiography: A special type of X-ray where radioactive dye is injected into blood vessels so they will appear on the X-ray.

angioplasty: Open-heart surgery to enlarge narrowed arteries.

angiotensin: Substances that cause blood vessels to constrict and narrow.

anticoagulant: Any substance that prevents blood clots and slows coagulation.

anxiety: An emotional state that includes feelings of fear or worry, anxiety's physical reactions include heart palpitations and sweating.

aorta: The large artery beginning at the heart's left ventricle, and responsible for transporting oxygenated blood to the body.

arrhythmia: An abnormal heartbeat fluctuation, either in terms of speed or consistency.

artery: Any blood vessel that transports oxygen away from the heart to the body.

aspirin: An over-the-counter pain medication with some blood thinning properties.

atheroma: A yellow plaque of cholesterol, fat, scar tissue and inflamed cells that may build up on an artery wall, narrowing the artery.

atherosclerosis: Hardening of the arteries. Fatty deposits can causes the artery walls to thicken and narrow, as can calcification of the arteries and damage caused by chronic hypertension.

atria: The heart has two atria, the upper chambers of the heart that receive blood from the veins.

atrial fibrillation: An irregular and rapid heartbeat.

atrial flutter: A condition in which the atria (the upper chambers of the heart) contract or flutter very quickly, but the heart rate appears normal.

atypical: Abnormal.

beta blockers: Medications that lower blood pressure in the arteries and relax the heart muscle. Used during heart attacks and as a preventative for future heart attacks.

blood clot: Also called a thrombus. Blood that has turned into a solid mass.

bradycardia: A very slow heart rate. Bradycardia often slows the heart rate to less than 50 beats a minute.

CAD (coronary artery disease): A heart disease caused when cholesterol deposits, or plaques, build up in the coronary arteries. CAD is a leading cause of heart-related deaths.

calcium channel blockers: Medication that lowers blood pressure and relaxes the smooth muscle in the artery walls, improving blood flow.

cardiac: Of or related to the heart.

cardiac catheterization: The insertion of a thin tube called a catheter into the coronary arteries for diagnostic or surgical purposes.

cardiac enzyme blood tests: A test for specific enzymes released by damaged heart tissue during a heart attack.

cardiopulmonary: Of or related to the heart and lungs.

cardiopulmonary resuscitation: An emergency procedure to restore life to someone whose heart has stopped. The chest is compressed to force the heart to pump and mouth-to-mouth ventilation is administered to get oxygen into the lungs.

chest pain: While chest pain has many causes, it should never be dismissed. Chest pain always indicates a need for medical evaluation as soon as possible.

circulatory shock: A condition that may come after a severe heart attack. The heart muscle is too weak after the attack to pump enough blood to the heart, and blood pressure falls to critical levels.

CKMB (cardiac enzyme creatine phosphokinase MB): An enzyme released by damaged heart tissue during a heart attack.

coronary artery: Arteries that supply the heart muscle with its own blood supply.

coronary artery bypass graft: Heart surgery in which blood vessels from the leg or chest wall are grafted onto coronary arteries to bypass blockages.

coronary artery spasm: A condition in which the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart, spasm, possibly cutting off blood to the heart muscle and triggering a heart attack.

defibrillator: A medical device that restores the heart's natural rhythm with an electric shock.

diastolic: Describing the period between beats when the heart is relaxed.

dyspnea: Difficulty breathing.

echocardiogram: A test that used ultrasound to view the heart.

EKG (Electrocardiogram): A test used to record the heart's electric activity.

emboli: Any abnormal substance, such as a blood clot, which travels through the bloodstream, lodges in a blood vessel and blocks the blood vessels.

embolism: The blocking of a blood vessel by a blood clot or other substance.