Heart Disease Focus Dictionary

accessory pathway tachycardias: A rapid heart rate that is caused by an abnormal electrical pathway or connection between the atria and the ventricles.

angina: (angina pectoris - Latin for squeezing of the chest) is the chest discomfort that occurs when the blood oxygen supply to an area of the heart muscle does not meet the demand.

arrhythmia: Heartbeats may be too slow, too rapid, too irregular, or too early.
atrial fibrillation: The electrical discharges are irregular and rapid and, as a result, the heart beats irregularly and, usually, rapidly.

atrial flutter: Associated with very rapid atrial activity. The electrical conduction of the impulses to the ventricle may be delayed and impaired.

atrial arrythmia: Abnormalities in the pattern of atrial contractions.

AV (atrioventricular) nodal reentrant tachycardia: A rapid heart rate due to more than one pathway through the AV node. It can cause heart palpitations, fainting or heart failure.

bi-ventricular pacing devices: Bi-ventricular pacing uses a special type of device to pace the heart in a special way to help alleviate heart failure.

bradyarrhythmias: A slow heart rhythm due to an abnormal SA (sinus) node.

bradycardia: When the natural pacemaker cells in the heart do not send signals to beat at the proper rate, or the signals do not travel all the way to the atriums and the ventricles in the heart.

CAD: Coronary artery disease. It begins when hard cholesterol substances (plaques) are deposited within a coronary artery.

cardiac asthma: As a result of congestive heart failure, fluid can build up in the lungs (pulmonary edema). This causes signs and symptoms, such as shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing, that may mimic asthma.

cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT): A device that works by pacing both the left and right ventricles simultaneously.

cardioversion for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter: The procedure of applying an electrical shock to the chest to restore a normal heartbeat.

catheter ablation: Radiowaves are used through a cathetor to ablate (destroys or disrupt) parts of the electrical pathways causing arrhythmias.

coronary artery disease: A major cause of illness and death, coronary artery disease (CAD) begins when hard cholesterol substances (plaques) are deposited within a coronary artery.

defibrillation: When a short electric impulse is administered to the heart in order to restore its natural rhythm.