Ablation (also known as catheter ablation)
Cardiac ablation is a therapeutic method in which a form of energy is used to physically destroy a small section of damaged heart tissue that is a source of abnormal electrical activity causing or contributing to some types of tachycardia (fast heartbeat). Most often, cardiac ablation is used to treat rapid heartbeats that begin in the upper chambers (atria) or in the atrioventricular (AV) node. Less often, ablation is used to treat heart rhythm disorders of the lower heart chambers (ventricles).
Angiography (also known as arteriography, angiogram, angiocardiography)
A procedure to explore the coronary arteries. A fine tube (catheter) is put into an artery and dye is injected into the vessel through this tube. The heart and blood vessels are then filmed while the heart pumps. The picture that is seen, called an angiogram or arteriogram, will show problems such as a blockage caused by heart disease or other problems interfering with the flow of blood.
Angioplasty (also known as balloon angioplasty, Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PCTA)
A procedure where a balloon is used to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels of the heart. A catheter with a tiny deflated balloon attached to the end of a catheter is inflated against the arterial wall. This widens the vessel as the blockage is flattened. This procedure is also known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or balloon angioplasty.
Ankle-brachial Index (ABI) Test
Exam used to test how well blood is flowing. The blood pressure in the feet is compared to the blood pressure in the arms. This test is used to diagnose peripheral artery disease (PAD). It takes only a few minutes and can be performed by a healthcare professional as part of a routine exam.
Atherectomy
A procedure to remove plaque from arteries. An ultra-thin wire is threaded through a special catheter into the blocked artery. Several devices may then be used. One is a high-speed rotating "burr" that grinds the plaque into very tiny pieces. Another is a small rotating cutter that "shaves off" pieces of the blockage. Still another is a laser catheter that vaporizes the plaque. See Laser Angioplasty.
Balloon Valvuloplasty
A non-surgical procedure performed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory to treat mitral stenosis. Long, slender tubes called catheters are placed into blood vessels in the groin and guided into the chambers of the heart. A tiny hole is created in the wall between the upper two chambers of the heart. This hole provides an opening to access the left atrium with a special catheter that has a balloon at the tip. The catheter is positioned so the balloon tip is directly inside the narrowed valve. The balloon is inflated and deflated several times to widen the valve opening. Once the opening of the valve has been widened enough, the balloon is deflated and removed. During the procedure, an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) may be performed to get a better picture of the mitral valve.
Bypass Surgery (also known as Coronary Artery Bypass Graft)
Arteries or veins are taken from another part of your body. These vessels are connected directly to the coronary arteries on the surface of your heart beyond the blockages. This way, blood can flow through them to bypass the narrowed or closed points. This channels more blood to the heart muscle.
Cardiac Catheterization
A cardiac catheterization is a procedure that examines the heart. During this procedure, a physician can measure pressures inside the heart, take pictures of the arteries bringing blood to the heart, and assess how well the heart is pumping. A small straw-colored catheter will be inserted into the artery in your groin. This catheter is threaded up to the heart. A special iodine-based X-ray dye is injected. As the dye is injected, X-rays take pictures of the arteries.
Cardiac Computed Tomography (CT Scan) (also known as Computerized Axial Tomographic Scan (CAT scan) )
An X-ray imaging technique that uses a computer to produce tomographic, or cross-sectional, images of the chest (including the heart and great vessels) or the brain. It is used to diagnosis and evaluate heart diseases such as aortic diseases, cardiac masses and pericardial disease and to define the areas in the brain affected by stroke.
Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
A non-invasive nuclear imaging technique that uses tomographic (cross-sectional) images and radioactive tracers to study and quantify how the heart tissue works. Cardiac PET scans are used to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD) and can be used to identify injured but viable (living) myocardium (heart muscle).
Cardiac Resynchronization (also known as Biventricular Pacing)
A treatment for heart failure that uses a three-lead biventricular pacemaker implanted in the chest. The pacemaker sends tiny electrical impulses to the heart muscle to coordinate (resynchronize) the pumping of the chambers of the heart, improving the heart’s pumping efficiency. Both ventricles are paced to contract at the same time. This can reduce the symptoms of heart failure.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass (also known as Heart/Lung Machine)
A procedure to circulate and oxygenate the blood while surgery is performed on the heart. It involves diverting blood from the heart and lungs through a heart/lung machine and the return of oxygenated blood to the aorta.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (also known as CPR)
An emergency lifesaving procedure that is performed when a person’s own breathing or heartbeat have stopped. It uses a combination of chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing (rescue breathing). The chest compressions keep oxygenated blood circulating and the breathing provides oxygen to the lungs until an effective heartbeat and breathing can be restored or the patient can be put on advanced cardiac life support.
Cardioversion
Delivering an electrical shock to a person’s heart to rapidly restore an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) back to normal. External cardioversion is performed with a defibrillator, either in an emergency situation or as a scheduled treatment for arrhythmia. Internal cardioversion is delivered by a device similar to a pacemaker, called an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). ICDs are used to treat arrhythmias in the lower heart chamber (ventricle) such as ventricular tachyarrhythmia or fibrillation. These arrhythmias can cause sudden cardiac death (SCD) because of the dangerously fast heart rate. Internal cardioversion is also used to treat arrhythmias of the upper heart chamber (atrium) in some cases. The device used in this case is called an atrial defibrillator.
Carotid Phonoangiography
A test using a sensitive microphone placed on the neck, very close to the carotid artery. It records sounds and detects blockages, such as those caused by carotid artery disease.
Cineangiography
The technique of taking moving pictures to show how a dye visible by X-ray passes through blood vessels.
Closed-Heart Surgery
An operation on the heart (or more typically the great vessels) without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass. Examples of closed-heart surgery include repairs of the aorta and patent ductus arteriosus.
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test
This is a blood test that measures the concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a plasma protein known as acute phase protein, that rises in the blood with inflammation from certain conditions. Since inflammation is believed to play a role in the development of coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis), a highly sensitive (hs-CRP) test may be added to the screening battery of cholesterol and other lipid tests to help detect people at risk for a heart attack.
Defibrillation
The use of an electrical device (defibrillator) to give an electric shock to the heart to help restore a normal heartbeat. It is used for dangerous arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, and in cardiac arrest.
Digital Cardiac Angiography (DCA), Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA)
A modified form of computer imaging that records pictures of the major blood vessels to the heart or brain. It can identify blockages and their severity.
Doppler Ultrasound
A test that uses high-frequency sound waves to detect blockages in an artery and to evaluate blood flow. Echocardiography (or Echocardiogram)
This test uses sound waves to create a picture of the heart. The picture is more detailed than an x-ray image. This test can be used in the diagnosis of a number of heart conditions including valve disorders, cardiomyopathy, heart disease, and other abnormalities or defects by reflecting sound waves off the heart. A hand-held device is placed on the chest and high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) are used to produce images of the heart’s size, structure and motion. An "echo" provides valuable information about the health of the heart and helps gather information about abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias).
Electrocardiogram (or Electrocardiography, ECG or EKG)
A quick, painless test that records the electrical activity of the heart. It may be taken at rest or during exercise. It is the standard clinical tool for diagnosing arrhythmias (abnormal rhythms) and to check if the heart is getting enough blood or if areas of the heart are abnormally thick. An EKG reveals your heart’s rate and rhythm and can detect inadequate blood supply to the heart.
Electrophysiologic Testing
A procedure used to provoke known but infrequent arrhythmias and to unmask suspected arrhythmias. Using local anesthesia, temporary electrode catheters are positioned in the heart’s atria and/or ventricles and at strategic locations along the conduction system. They record cardiac electrical signals and "map" the spread of electrical impulses during each heartbeat. Exercise Stress Test (also known as Stress Test or Treadmill Test)
A diagnostic test in which a person walks on a treadmill or pedals a stationary bicycle while hooked up to equipment that monitors the heart. The test monitors heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, electrical activity (on an electrocardiogram) and the person’s level of tiredness. It shows if the heart’s blood supply is sufficient and if the heart rhythm is normal. This test is also known as Exercise Test or Exercise Cardiac Stress Test.