Glossary entries within this article:
- Acidosis
- The pH of blood tissue is reduced on account of excessive acid due to failure of circulation or a serious lack of oxygen.
- Aorta
- The chief artery that receives blood from the left ventricle of the heart and causes it to flow to the body.
- Aortic valve
- Heart valve between the aorta and the left ventricle.
- Aortic
- Relating to the aorta, which is the major vessel which carries oxygen-enriched blood from the heart to the body. The term is sometimes used to refer to the aortic valve, which is the valve that prevents a return flow of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle, aortic stenosis, for instance.
- Artery
- A vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. It generally carries blood which is rich in oxygen. The exception in mammals is the pulmonary artery which takes deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
- Atrioventricular node
- Conductive tissue at the bottom of the right atrium where electrical pulses must pass in order to reach the ventricles.
- Atrium
- The heart chamber which collects blood returning from the rest of the body. In all vertebrates apart from fish there are two atria, one on the left and one on the right. The atrium on the right collects deoxygenated blood from the body and passes it to the right ventricle. The atrium on the left collects oxygenated blood from the lungs and passes it to the left ventricle.
- Blood pressure
- Pressure which is exerted by the heart when it pumps blood.
- Blue babies
- This is due to insufficient oxygen in the arterial blood and may be caused by a heart defect, poor respiration, or premature birth.
- CAD (coronary artery disease)
- Condition in which deposits of fat or plaques build up in the cells lining the wall of a coronary artery, thus obstructing the flow of blood.
- Collateral circulation
- Network of small arteries which are normally closed. If the coronary artery is blocked, they may open up in order to take blood to the heart.
- Heart block
- The electrical pulses that cause the heart to beat are decelerated or blocked along the pathway between the upper and lower chambers. The condition usually call for a pacemaker.
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Condition in which the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to meet the requirements of the other organs in the body.
- Ischemic heart disease
- Disorder caused by insufficient blood supply due to a constriction of coronary arteries.
- Pacemaker
- Electrical appliance that is used in order to induce heart contractions and control heartbeats.
- Pulmonary artery
- Artery which takes blood from the heart to the lungs.
- Pulmonary
- Relating to the lungs. The term is sometimes used to refer to the pulmonary valve, which is the valve which prevents reverse flow of blood from the pulmonary artery into the right ventricle (pulmonary regurgitation, for instance).
- Ventricle
- Heart chamber which is responsible for pumping blood to the rest of the body. There are two ventricles in mammals and birds, one on the left and one on the right. The right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood via the pulmonary artery to the lungs; the left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the body via the aorta.
In the glossary you will find terms that we have provided with some extra-information.
Glossary
