| left ventricle | <anatomy> The muscular chamber of the heart which accepts blood from the left atrium and ejects it into the aorta to the systemic circulation. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| left-ventricular assist device | Mechanical pump inserted at some point in the circulation to parallel the activity of the left ventricle and thereby reduce its load. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left ventricular ejection time | The time measured clinically from onset to incisural notch of the carotid or other pulse; properly the time of ejection of blood from the left ventricle beginning with aortic valve opening and ending with aortic valve closure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left ventricular failure | <cardiology> A disorder where the left side of the heart fails to pump blood effectively. This results in a back flow (and pressure) and congestion of blood into the lungs. The causes of this condition include, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, anaemia, hyperthyroidism, atrial myxoma, drug toxicity and congenital heart disease. Risk factors include diabetes, alcoholism, obesity and smoking. Symptoms include increasing shortness of breath with activity and while lying flat. Other symptoms include cough, palpitations, fatigue, decreased urine production and waking in the middle of the nigh with difficulty breathing. Complications include pulmonary oedema, arrhythmias and pleural effusion. (27 Sep 1997) |
| left ventricular hypertrophy | <radiology> Coarctation, aortic stenosis (12 Dec 1998) |
| left ventricular myomectomy | Resection of myocardial tissue used in cases of idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| left ventricular volume overload | <radiology> VSD, patent ductus arteriosus, mitral incompetence, aortic incompetence (12 Dec 1998) |
| ligament of left superior vena cava | The obliterated left common cardinal vein that extends from the left brachiocephalic vein to the oblique vein of the left atrium. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ligament of left vena cava | The obliterated left common cardinal vein; it extends from the left brachiocephalic vein to the oblique vein of the left atrium. Synonym: ligamentum venae cavae sinistrae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| abnormal cleavage of cardiac valve | Congenital malformation of a valve leaflet with a defect extending from the free margin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior cardiac veins | Two or three small veins in the anterior wall of the right ventricle opening directly into the right atrium independently of the coronary sinus. Synonym: venae cordis anteriores. (05 Mar 2000) |
| area of cardiac dullness | A triangular area determined by percussion of the front of the chest; it corresponds to the part of the heart that is not covered by lung tissue. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac | <cardiology> Pertaining to the heart. Origin: L. Cardiacus from Gr. Kardiakos (16 Dec 1997) |
| cardiac accident | Sudden cardiac catastrophe, such as may result from coronary occlusion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac albuminuria | Albuminuria caused by congestive heart failure. (05 Mar 2000) |