Glossary

Glossary

Aortic stenosis: Narrowing of the aortic valve.

Arrhythmia: Irregular Heart beat.

Asymptomatic: Absence of any symptoms.

Atrial Septal Defect: Hole in the wall separating the two upper chambers of the heart.

Cardiac Catheterization: A procedure in which a catheter is introduced into a blood vessel and guided into the heart in order to measure blood flow and evaluate structural defects.


Coarctation of aorta: Congenital narrowing of a segment of the aorta that impedes blood flow to the lower part of the body.

Congenital: Congenital is a term, which denotes Acquired by birth.

Cyanosis: Blue colored skin caused by too little oxygen in the blood.

Down's Syndrome: A disorder caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21 and characterized by mental retardation and distinguishing physical features.

Echocardiogram: A procedure that uses ultrasonic waves directed over the chest wall to obtain a graphic record of the heart's position, motion of the walls, or internal parts such as the valves.

Endocarditis: Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart, usually the heart valves; typically caused by an infection.

Heart failure: Condition caused when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body; also characterized by fluid collecting in various parts of the body (such as legs, lungs, liver).

Interatrial septum: Wall separating the upper chambers of the heart or the atria.

Interventricular septum: Wall separating the lower chambers of the heart or the ventricles.

Palliative: Treatment undertaken not to cure but to improve a problem or condition.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus: A heart defect in which a fetal structure remains open, causing excess blood flow through the lungs.


Pulmonary Hypertension: Increased blood pressure in the arteries supplying blood to the lungs; caused by increased resistance to blood flow in the lungs, usually a result of a lung disease.

Pulmonary Stenosis: Obstruction of the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs.

Septum: A wall dividing two cavities or compartments.

Stroke: Sudden, severe attack that results in brain damage. Usually sudden paralysis or speech difficulty results from injury to the brain or spinal cord by a blood clot, hemorrhage or occlusion of blood supply to the brain from a narrowed or blocked artery.

Ventricular Septal Defect: Hole in the wall separating the bottom chambers of the heart or ventricles.

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