| cardiac enzyme | <biochemistry> A group of enzymes found normally in heart tissue. Cardiac enzymes are released into the blood stream in increased concentration when the heart muscle becomes damaged. Examples include SGOT, CPK-MB and LDH. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| cardiac failure | A condition where there is ineffective pumping of the heart leading to an accumulation of fluid in the lungs. Typical symptoms include shortness of breath with exertion, difficulty breathing when lying flat and leg or ankle swelling. Causes include chronic hypertension, cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction. (27 Sep 1997) |
| cardiac fibrous skeleton | A complex framework of dense collagen forming four fibrous rings (annuli fibrosi), which surround the ostia of the valves, a right and left fibrous trigone, formed by connecting the rings, and the membranous portions of the interatrial and interventricular septa; it is found in association with the base of the ventricles, i.e., at the level of the coronary sulcus; its functions include: 1) contributing reinforcement of the valvular ostia while providing attachment for the leaflets and cusps of the valves; 2) providing origin and insertion for the myocardium; and 3) serving as a sort of electrical "insulator," separating the electrically conducted impulses of the atria and ventricles and providing passage for the common atrioventricular bundle of conductive tissue through the right fibrous trigone and membranous interventricular septum. Synonym: cardiac fibrous skeleton, cardiac skeleton, skeleton of heart. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac ganglia | Parasympathetic ganglia of the cardiac plexus lying between the arch of the aorta and the bifurcation of the pulmonary artery. Synonym: ganglia cardiaca, Wrisberg's ganglia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac gating | Using an electronic signal from the cardiac cycle to trigger an event, such as in imaging separate phases of cardiac contraction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac gland | A coiled tubular gland located in the cardiac region of the stomach; secretes primarily mucus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac glands of oesophagus | Gland's located in the lamina propria of the uppermost and lowermost levels of the oesophagus; they resemble cardiac gland's of the stomach in that they are branched tubules of mucous cells. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac glycoside | <pharmacology> Drugs that specifically block the Na/K pump particularly of heart muscle. (05 Jan 1998) |
| cardiac glycosides | <chemical> Substances obtained from species of digitalis, strophanthus, and other plants that contain specific steroid glycosides or their semisynthetic derivatives and used in congestive heart failure. They increase the force of cardiac contraction without significantly affecting other parameters, but are very toxic at larger doses. Their mechanism of action usually involves inhibition of the sodium-potassium-exchanging atpase and they are often used in cell biological studies for that purpose. Pharmacological action: anti-arrhythmia agents, cardiotonic agent, enzyme inhibitors. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cardiac haemoptysis | Haemoptysis secondary to heart disease or tachycardia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac heterotaxia | See: dextrocardia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac histiocyte | A large mononuclear cell found in connective tissue of the heart wall in inflammatory conditions, especially in the Aschoff body. The ovoid nucleus contains a central chromatin mass appearing as a wavy bar in longitudinal section. Synonym: Anitschkow cell, Anitschkow myocyte, caterpillar cell. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac hormone | A substance present in extracts of cardiac tissue that augments cardiac contraction; possibly adenosine, a catecholamine, or some non-specific stimulant present generally in tissues. Synonym: cardiac hormone, heart hormone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac impression of liver | A depression on the superior area of the diaphragmatic surface of the liver corresponding to the position of the heart. Synonym: impressio cardiaca hepatis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac impression of lung | The depression on the medial surface of each lung produced by the presence of the heart. It is more pronounced on the left lung. Synonym: impressio cardiaca pulmonis. (05 Mar 2000) |