Glossary
AORTA - Largest artery in the body; it carries blood from the heart's left ventricle and distributes it throughout the body.AUSCULTAION - To listen to the sounds made by the internal organs of the body for diagnostic purposes. For example, nurses and doctors auscultate the lungs and heart of a patient by using a stethoscope placed on the patient's chest.
CARDIAC OUTPUT - The amount of blood the heart pumps through the circulatory system in one minute.
CYANOSIS - Blue colored skin caused by too little oxygen in the blood.
CYCLOOXYGENASE – Enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of arachydonic acid to prostaglandins.
DIGOXIN – Drug used in the treatment of heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. It helps the heart to beat with more force.
DIURETICS – Drug used to increase the production of urine.
DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS – a blood vessel connecting pulmonary artery to the aorta.
ENDOCARDITIS - Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart, usually the heart valves; typically caused by an infection.
HEMODYNAMICAL – Forces involved in the blood circulation.
HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA - Increased blood levels of bilirubin.
NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS - Inflammatory disease of the intestines in premature infants.
OLIGURIA– decreased production of urine.
PATENT – Open.
PLATELETS - A type of blood cell that helps prevent bleeding by causing blood clots to form. Also called thrombocytes.
PROSTAGLANDIN - A group of extremely active substances derived from fatty acids in the body that affect many organs. Certain prostaglandins have a role in stimulating the uterine contractions of labor and birth.
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PULMONARY ARTERY – artery that carries oxygen depleted blood from the right ventricle to 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.
RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME – Lack of lung surfactant to keep the lungs open causes severe breathing discomfort.
SEPSIS - Infection with disease-causing microorganisms or other toxins in the bloodstream.
THROMBOCYTOPENIA - A condition in which there is an abnormally small number of platelets in the circulating blood.
