Exam 1 Review:  Chapter 18:  Cardiac Diagnosis and Treatment

defibrillation - To stop the fibrillation of the heart and restore normal contractions/rhythm through the use of drugs or an electric shock.

cardiac catheterization - A diagnostic procedure for evaluating certain problems with the heart and its blood supply; the procedure involves the placement of a long, thin tube (called a catheter) into the heart to measure pressures, inject dye, and take x-ray pictures; this procedure normally takes two to three hours.  Cardiac catheterization provides information about (1) the blood flow through the heart and coronary arteries (blood vessels that supply blood to the the heart muscle) or other major blood vessels that carry blood to and from the heart; (2) pressure within the heart chambers; (3) the detailed structure of various parts of the heart and vascular (blood vessel) system; and (4) the heart's pumping ability.

cardiac angiography - A diagnostic procedure for evaluating certain problems with the blood supply of the heart; the procedure involves the placement of a long, thin tube (called a catheter) into the coronary vessels of the heart to measure pressures, inject dye, and take x-ray pictures; this procedure normally takes two to three hours.  Cardiac angiography provides information about (1) the blood flow through the coronary arteries (blood vessels that supply blood to the the heart muscle) and (2) the detailed structure of various parts of the cornonary vascular (blood vessel) system.

coronary artery bypass grafting - A surgical procedure in which a blocked coronary artery is replaced by a section of health vein, usually the saphaneous vein from the leg, is such a way as to produce an alternate route for blood flow around the blockage.

percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCI) - a catheter-based procedure performed in order to open up a and restore blood flow to the heart muscle; a balloon catheter is used to enlarge the lumen of the blocked vessel and a stent may be placed to maintain the opening; angioplasty is used as an alternative treatment to coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) about half the time -- it is less invasive, less expensive, and faster to perform, with the patient usually returning home the next day; the main disadvantage of PTCI is that, 20%-30% of the time, the artery closes up again within six months, a process called restenosis, requiring another procedure.

laser angioplasty - A technique which opens coronary arteries blocked by atherosclerotic plaque; in this technique, a thin, flexible plastic tube called a catheter with a laser at its tip is inserted into an artery, then advanced through the artery to the blockage in the coronary artery; when the laser is in position, it emits pulsating beams of light which vaporize the plaque.

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