ACE
Inhibitors: ACE inhibitors work by helping to stop
the body from reacting to certain hormones that cause negative
effects on the heart and blood flow. ACE inhibitors are considered
"vasodilators," because they dilate, or widen, blood
vessels.
Artery:
A thick-walled muscular
blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to other body
regions.
Asthma:
A condition of the lungs in which there is a narrowing of the
airways over short periods of time. Asthma can occur spontaneously
or as a result of an allergic reaction. People with asthma have
varying levels of difficulty breathing during these attacks.
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Beta
blockers: A
class of drugs that are used to treat high blood pressure and
other cardiovascular conditions. These drugs also improve EF.
Coreg, also known as carvedilol, is a beta-blocking medication
that was approved for the treatment of mild and moderate heart
failure in May 1997.
Cardiomyopathy
(Cardiomyopathies): Any
disease of the heart muscle. Viral infection, certain drugs used
to treat cancer, chemicals such as alcohol or cocaine, or other
illnesses can cause damage to the heart muscle. Sometimes the
cause of cardiomyopathy is unknown.
Chest
X-ray (Chest Film): A
radiograph (x-ray) of the chest. An x-ray allows the doctor to
see the size of your heart (with heart failure, it may be larger
than normal), and whether there is fluid build-up around your
heart and lungs.
Congestion:
Accumulation of excess
fluid in organs, such as the lungs.
Congestive
Heart Failure: The inability
of the heart to maintain normal circulation of blood, resulting
in the accumulation of fluid in various body regions. Other terms
also associated with CHF are heart failure, damaged heart, or
enlarged heart.
Coronary
Artery Disease: A disease caused by fatty deposits,
called plaque, that build up in the arteries around the heart,
narrowing the channel through which blood flows (think of how
squeezing a garden hose blocks off the flow of water). This reduces
the oxygen the heart muscle receives and results in damage to
the heart muscle.
Diabetes:
Develops when the body
cannot effectively control the level of glucose (sugar) in the
body.
Digitalis:
Also known as digoxin,
this medication helps the heart pump more effectively and can
help control the rhythm of the heart beat. It helps improve blood
circulation and thus reduces swelling of the feet and lower legs.
Digoxin:
Also known as digitalis, this medication helps the heart pump
more effectively and can help control the rhythm of the heart
beat. It helps improve blood circulation and thus reduces swelling
of the feet and lower legs.
Diuretic(s):
A medication that increases
the amount of urine the body produces, helping to get rid of extra
fluids and sodium. Also called water pill.
Echocardiogram
(echo): With this painless test, your doctor can
see inside your heart -- its chambers, the valves within it, and
the thin sac around the heart called the pericardium. The test
uses harmless sound waves (sonar) to produce images of internal
organs and structures. The echocardiogram allows the doctor to
determine how effectively your heart is pumping.
Edema:
Accumulation of excess fluid in tissues (the components
of organs). Edema often results in swelling.
Ejection
Fraction (EF): A measurement
of how well the heart pumps, or ejects, blood. The EF value is
calculated by measuring the difference between the amount of blood
ejected by the heart and the amount of blood remaining in the
heart after heart muscle contraction. In a normal, healthy heart
the EF is usually 50% or greater. In patients suffering from heart
failure, the EF is often less than 40%.
Electrocardiogram
(EKG, ECG): This simple,
painless test measures how your heart is beating and whether
there has been any damage to your heart muscle. Electrical wires
with suction cups are placed on your chest, arms, and legs.
A machine then records the activity of your heart and displays
the electrical activity on a screen. Your doctor can tell how
well your heart is working from the patterns of electrical activity
shown on the screen.
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Fatigue:
A feeling of tiredness,
and a state characterized by a decreased capacity for work or
activity, usually accompanied by sleepiness or irritability.
Heartbeat:
One complete cycle of the heart
muscle contracting (forcing blood out of the heart) and dilating
(relaxing, allowing blood to enter the heart).
Heart
Valves: The four valves
in the heart help control the flow of blood through the heart.
If the valves leak or are unable to open completely, blood does
not circulate properly through the heart.
Hives:
A type of skin rash that requires
an immediate call to your physician.
Hypertension:
A long-term condition
of abnormally high blood pressure. In people with high blood
pressure, the heart must work harder to pump blood throughout
the body.
Kidney(s):
The two bean-shaped kidneys are organs that are located towards
the back of the abdomen on either side of the spine. The kidneys
process and excrete urine.
Multigated
Ventriculogram (MUGA Scan): A
test in which a small amount of blood is taken and combined with
a small amount of radioactive tracer. The tracer is such a small
quantity that it is not harmful to you. The blood is injected
back into a vein and the blood is observed as it flows through
the heart. The results of this test provide important information
on the pumping ability of your heart.
Myocardial
Infarction: A heart attack.
When an artery to the heart becomes completely blocked by plaque,
the part of the heart muscle that receives blood from that artery
dies. Scar tissue forms over the area, making the heart less
able to pump effectively.
Pericardium:
A thin, closed sac, or membrane, that surrounds the heart.
Plaque:
Fatty deposits that can build up in the arteries around the
heart. The accumulation of plaque narrows the channel through
which blood flows.
Treadmill
Exercise Stress Test: This
test is as simple as taking a walk or riding a bicycle. It is
used to determine whether there are any blockages or narrowing
in the arteries surrounding the heart and to how well you can
exercise. For this test, patients simply walk on a treadmill (or
sometimes peddle a bicycle) while the heart rate, blood pressure,
and ECG are monitored. Sometimes, the heart is also monitored
with a echocardiogram, to get a better picture of how it is pumping.
Vasodilator(s):
A
medication that dilates, or widens, blood vessels. ACE inhibitors
are a type of vasodilator.
Vein: A
thick-walled muscular blood vessel that transports blood to
the heart from other body regions.
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