| New York Heart Association classification | A functional classification to assess cardiovascular disability. Class I: patients with cardiac disease without limitation of physical activity. Ordinary activity does not cause symptoms. Class II: patients with cardiac disease with slight limitation of activity; comfortable at rest. Ordinary physical activity results in fatigue, palpitation, dyspnea or angina. Class III: patients with cardiac disease producing marked limitation of activity: comfortable at rest. Less than ordinary physical activity causes symptoms. Class IV: patients with cardiac disease resulting in inability to carry on any physical activity without discomfort. Symptoms may be present even at rest. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| notch of apex of heart | A slight notch near the apex of the heart where the anterior interventricular sulcus reaches the diaphragmatic surface of the heart. Synonym: incisura apicis cordis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nuclear heart scan | This noninvasive test uses radioactive tracers to delineate the hearts chambers and major vessels. It may be used to detect a heart attack, heart muscle function and coronary artery disease. The patient receives a radioactive tracer by injection (into a vein) and then the heart is imaged using a gamma camera. The heart is imaged before and after exercise. This test may be used to detect and evaluate atrial septal defect, dilated cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, Lyme disease (secondary), mitral stenosis and superior vena cava syndrome. (27 Sep 1997) |
| systemic heart | The left atrium and ventricle, receiving the aerated blood from the lungs and propelling it throughout the body. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dextroposition of the heart | The heart is displaced to the right (from its usual location in the left chest). There is no anatomic alteration in the heart itself, just in its location. Dextroposition occurs when the contents of the left side of the chest shove the heart to the right or when the contents of the right chest are reduced (for example, by collapse of the right lung) and the heart moves toward the sparsely occupied space on the right. (12 Dec 1998) |
| dextroversion of the heart | Displacement and rotation of the heart into the right side of the chest but without mirror transposition of the cardiac chambers. Synonym: dextroversion of the heart, false dextrocardia, type 3 dextrocardia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| disease, congenital heart | A birth defect of the heart or great blood vessels (like the aorta). (12 Dec 1998) |
| drop heart | A condition in which the heart is unduly movable and displaced downward, as distinguished from bathycardia. See: cor mobile, cor pendulum. Synonym: drop heart. Origin: cardio-+ G. Ptosis, a falling (05 Mar 2000) |
| icing heart | Hyaloserositis involving the pericardium. Synonym: icing heart. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intermediate heart | Loosely, description of the heart's electrical axis when this is directed at approximately between +30 |
| irritable heart | An obsolete term for neurocirculatory asthenia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| open heart surgery | A surgical procedure, known as a coronary artery bypass graft, which involves replacing diseased (narrowed) coronary arteries with veins obtained from the patients lower extremities (autologous graft). During this procedure the patient is placed on a heart bypass machine (heart-lung machine) to allow the surgeon adequate time to perform surgery on the resting (nonbeating) heart. This procedure has proven to extend the lives of individuals with coronary artery disease and improve the quality of life. Recovery in the hospital is approximately 7-10 days. (27 Sep 1997) |
| ox heart | <anatomy, cardiology, pathology> A very large heart usually due to chronic hypertension or, more often to aortic valve disease. Synonym: bucardia, cor bovinum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| thallium heart scan | <cardiology, investigation, radiology> A test which involves the introduction of a radioactive tracer into the bloodstream. The radioactive tracer is then measured with a special camera and a determination of coronary artery blood flow can be made. (27 Sep 1997) |
| third heart sound | Occurs in early diastole and corresponds with the end of the first phase of rapid ventricular filling; normal in children and younger people but abnormal in others. Synonym: third sound. (05 Mar 2000) |