Glossary

The destruction of conduction paths caused by cardiac arrhythmia during a cardiac catheter examination

Additional electrical pathways (conduction system) between the atria and ventricles (e.g. Kent bundle); malfunction can lead to tachycardia

Haemic murmurs with no pathological significance

A drug that regulates blood pressure, used to treat cardiac insufficiency

Heart defect without cyanosis e.g. atrial septum defect, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), pulmonary stenosis

Transient state of unconsciousness occurring with extremely low pulse rate

The force against which the cardiac muscle has to shorten; blood flow resistance against which the heart has to pump, e.g. with stenosis

Absence or incomplete development of an organ, e.g. leaflet of the mitral valve

Special pacemaker aggregate that recognises and treats tachycardia

Valve-bearing vascular implant (conduit) taken from another person, as opposed to xenograft

Congenital or surgical connection between two hollow organs or blood vessels e.g. Glenn Anastomosis

Essential parts of the brain, skull and scalp fail to develop

Dilation of a section of wall of a blood vessel e.g. aorta

Paroxysmal pain in the chest, caused by insufficient supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. It can be a symptom of a heart defect.

Depiction of the heart cavities, great vessels, cardiac valves and coronary vessels with an X-ray contrast medium during cardiac catheter examination

Procedure to widen narrowed vessels using a special catheter technique (balloon dilation)

Deviance from normal

Drugs used to treat various types of cardiac arrhythmia

Prevention of coagulation of the blood (with anticoagulant drugs used to prevent clots)

Large trunk artery leading from the left ventricle of the heart

Upper part of the aorta where the vessels branch off to the head and arms

Constriction of the aorta, 3rd section of the aortic arch; transition from the aortic arch to the descending aorta (thoracic and abdominal aorta)

Congenital narrowing of the transition from the aortic arch to the descending aorta

The part of the aorta that is attached to the heart

Constriction of the aortic valve (= usually valvular, 80%) or the aorta above or below (supra- / subvalvular) the aortic valve

Cardiac valve between left ventricle and aorta; a semilunar valve with three cusps, prevents the backflow of blood to the left ventricle during the relaxation phase of the cardiac muscle

Congenital closure of the aortic valve; a membrane blocks the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta

Occurs when the valve leaks or does not close properly; results in a backflow of blood from the aorta to the left ventricle

Aortic stenosis

Congenital cardiac malformation of the connection between the aorta and the pulmonary artery immediately above the valve

A system of assessing the physical condition of a newborn baby at birth (including heart rate)

Failure to develop tissue or an organ

Respiratory arrest

Stroke, sudden impairment of neurological function; cerebral haemorrhage

Irregular rate or mode of muscle contractions in the heart, cardiac arrhythmia

Oxygenated blood; flows from the lungs via the pulmonary veins into the left half of the heart, then via the aorta to the body

Modern and complicated surgical correction operation, TGA. The switched vessels are detached from the heart and reattached in the correct positions, the coronary vessels also have to be transposed.

Lung artery that carries deoxygenated venous blood from the right ventricle to the lungs

Subclavian artery, supplies the arms with oxygenated blood

Surgical opening of an artery e.g. for a cardiac catheter

Blood vessel that transports blood away from the heart

Small electronic device that sends an electrical impulse to the heart and regulates the heart muscle in cases of cardiac arrhythmias; is implanted under the pectoral muscle or under the abdominal skin

Hole in the atrial wall

Oxygen deficiency, e.g. due to a shift or blockage of the air passages; can lead to severe cerebral damage in newborns

Drugs that inhibit the coagulation of blood platelets and reduce the risk of a blood clot

Blood gas analysis (e.g. oxygen) of arterial blood

Cardiac arrest, suspended heartbeat

Absence of a normal body opening

From the atrium, relating to the atrium

Arrhythmia, irregular atrial beat with a rate of over 300 times per minute. Excitation is transmitted only in part to the ventricles. Irregular cardiac activity (that can also be felt in the pulse), can be caused by cardiac valve defect, a coronary disease or hyperthyroidism.

Anomaly of the atrial septum

Dividing wall between left and right atria

Special form of ASD usually in combination with a leaking mitral valve (sometimes also referred to as partial AV canal defect)

Defect in the septum that normally separates the atria

The most common form of ASD, no involvement of valves 

With TGA, the vessels are still incorrectly connected to the chambers. The surgeon creates a bypass system to the atria so that deoxygenated and oxygenated blood can flow into the correct vessels (palliative operation; Mustard operation; Senning operation).

Life-saving surgical enlargement of an interatrial septum defect

Surgical opening of an atrium

Pre-chamber of each half of the heart

Defect of the atrial septum

The act of listening for sounds made by internal organs (in the area of the heart and surrounding organs)

Tissue or organ grafted into a new position in or on the body of the same individual e.g. pulmonal valve as substitute for a defective aortal valve

Reinfusion of an individual’s own blood, or reprocessed blood components, into his or her own body. Patients can have their blood collected prior to prospective surgery involving large amounts of blood.  During surgery this is then pumped back into the patient’s body as required.

Relating to any chromosome other than the sex chromosom

Interruption of the conduction path between the atria and the ventricles
First degree - AV block: delay in conduction
Second degree - partial AV block (one or more, but not all the atrial impulses fail to conduct to the ventricles)
Third degree AV block – complete heart block

Canal between atria and ventricles

Defect in the atrial and/or ventricular septum at the level of the AV valves, generally accompanied by mutation of the mitral and tricuspid valves. The whole AV canal is cyanosed (coloured blue) and can be seen at birth (frequently in children with Down syndrome).

Atrioventricular nodes, part of the electrical conduction system of the heart; lies between the atria and the ventricles

Defect of the interatrial septum, which extends from the atrial to the ventricular areas, AV valves are involved to differing degrees

Semilunar valves between the atria and the ventricles

-    tricuspid valve (3 flaps) right side of the heart
-    mitral (also bicuspid) valve (2 flaps) left side of the heart

Valves between atria and ventricles