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Further Information 7 DAY SMOKE AWAY 
| | | MEDICAL
DEFINITIONS
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MUGA
(Multigated Acquisition) — A test in which a radioactive tracer is injected
into the bloodstream and scanned as it passes through the heart. A computer then
calculates the size and shape of a patient's ventricles based on the amount and
distribution of radiation emitted from them.
Myocardial infarction—
Sudden death of a portion of the heart muscle caused by a sudden decrease in blood
supply to that area. See Heart Attack.
Myocarditis— Inflammation of the heart muscle.
Potassium — A mineral that, together with sodium and calcium,
regulates the body's water balance, maintains normal heart rhythm, and is responsible
for nerve impulse conduction and muscle contraction.
Primary care
doctor — A general internist or family physician who provides patients
with routine preventive healthcare and is their first contact when medical problems
arise.
Pulmonary edema — Fluid in lung tissues, often caused
by congestive heart failure.
Right-ventricular heart failure —
Heart failure caused by damage to the right-side chambers of the heart, leading
to decreased blood flow, and swelling in hands, legs and abdomen.
Side
effect — Any reaction that results from a medication or therapy. Heart
failure medications can cause side effects such as headaches, nausea, dizziness,
kidney complications and low blood pressure.
Sodium — A mineral
that, together with potassium and calcium, regulates the body's water balance,
maintains normal heart rhythm, and is responsible for nerve impulse conduction
and muscle contraction. Excessive intake of sodium from food contributes to high
blood pressure in some people. In people who already have high blood pressure,
too much sodium may increase the risk of stroke, heart disease and kidney damage.
Stress test — An exercise test that examines how well the heart
works. Patients are asked to walk on a treadmill to increase their heart rate.
During the test, a doctor monitors electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) readings from
the heart to check for any heart rhythm irregularities .
Systolic
pressure — The pressure of blood inside arteries when the heart
contracts. This is the top number in a blood pressure reading.
Vaccine —
Weakened or dead germs, given by injection, that protect against infectious disease.
People with heart failure should receive a yearly influenza vaccine and a one-time
pneumococcal vaccine (to guard against pneumonia).
Valve replacement
— Surgery to replace a defective or diseased heart valve.
Vasoconstriction
— A narrowing of a blood vessel, causing decreased blood flow to a part of
the body.
Vasodilator — A medication that causes widening
or relaxation of blood vessel walls. Examples include ACE inhibitors, angiotensin
II receptor blockers, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and nitrates.
Ventricle — One of the two lower chambers of the heart that receive
blood from the atria (upper chambers). The right ventricle pumps blood to the
lungs and the left ventricle pumps blood to the rest of the body.
Additional
Medical Definitions 1 | Additional
Medical Definitions 2 | | | |
