ECMO - Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Glossary

Cardiac arrest: Sudden stopping of circulation by cessation of the heartbeat.

Pulmonary artery: Blood vessel that carries oxygen-depleted blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.

Pulmonary embolism: The passage of a blood clot, originating in large veins, into the pulmonary arteries, the major blood vessels supplying oxygen-depleted blood to the lungs.

Pulmonary heart valve: The heart valve that stops blood pumped to the lungs from leaking back into the heart

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

Cardiogenic shock: A severely dangerous condition involving decreased blood output from the heart, usually as a result of a heart attack

Cardiovascular system: The circulatory system, including the heart, arteries, veins and lymphatics.

Cardiopulmonary: Pertaining to both heart and lungs.

Cardiorespiratory: Pertaining to the heart and lungs.

Valvular Heart Disease: Disease of the heart valves.

Venous: Pertaining to veins.

Ventricles: Fluid-filled cavities in the heart or brain.

Ventilator: A machine that assists or controls breathing; a respirator.

Arteries: Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.

Atria: Cavities or chambers such as the upper chambers of the heart, which receive blood from veins and pass the blood to the ventricles. (Singular form is atrium.)