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CARDIOVASCULAR AND PULMONARY LEGAL GLOSSARY |
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Glossary of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Terms
A
B C
D E
F G
H I
J K L
M N
O P
Q R S
T U
V
W X Y Z #
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- B -
Bacteria: Germs that can lead to disease.
Bacterial Endocarditis: A bacterial
infection of the lining of the heart's chambers (called the endocardium) or the
heart's valves.
Balloon Catheter: A long tube-like device
with a small balloon on the end that can be threaded through an artery. Used in
angioplasty or valvuloplasty.
Balloon Valvuloplasty: A procedure to
repair a heart valve that is not working properly. A balloon-tipped catheter is
threaded through an artery and into the heart. The balloon is inflated to open
and separate any narrowed or stiffened flaps (called leaflets) of a valve. The
catheter and deflated balloon are removed after the procedure.
Beta-Blocker: An antihypertensive medicine
that limits the activity of epinephrine, a hormone that increases blood
pressure.
Biopsy: The process by which a small
sample of tissue is taken for examination.
Blalock-Taussig Procedure: A shunt between
the subclavian and pulmonary arteries used to increase the supply of oxygen-rich
blood in "blue babies" (see below).
Blood Clot: A jelly-like mass of blood
tissue formed by clotting factors in the blood. Clots stop the flow of blood
from an injury. Clots can also form inside an artery when the artery's walls are
damaged by atherosclerotic buildup, possibly causing a heart attack or stroke.
Blood Pressure: The force or pressure
exerted by the heart in pumping blood; the pressure of blood in the arteries.
Blue Babies: Babies who have a blue tinge
to their skin (cyanosis) resulting from insufficient oxygen in the arterial
blood. This condition often indicates a heart defect.
Body Mass Index (BMI): A number that
doctors use to determine the risk of cardiovascular disease created by a person
being overweight. BMI is calculated using a formula of weight in kilograms
divided by height in meters squared (BMI =W [kg]/H [m2]).
Brady Pacing: A method of treating a slow
or irregular heartbeat by periodically stimulating the heart with small
electrical pulses.
Bradycardia: A slow heartbeat, typically less than 60 beats per minute.
It may be caused by the sinoatrial node not working properly, or by a condition
called heart block.
Bruit: A sound made in the blood vessels
resulting from turbulence, perhaps because of a buildup of plaque or damage to
the vessels.
Bundle Branch Block: A condition in which
parts of the heart's conduction system are defective and unable to conduct the
electrical signal normally, causing an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia).
Bypass: Surgery that can improve blood
flow to the heart (or other organs and tissues) by providing a new route, or
"bypass," around a section of clogged or diseased artery.
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