AAA—abdominal aortic
aneurysm
ACE inhibitor—angiotensin
converting enzyme inhibitor
ACLS—advanced cardiac life
support; CPR plus drugs and defibrillation
ACS—acute coronary
syndrome
ADP—adenosine
diphosphate; ADP blockers are used to prevent cardiovascular-related death,
heart attack, and strokes and after all stent procedure
AED—automatic external
defibrillator
AF, a-fib—atrial fibrillation
AICD—automatic implantable
cardioverter- defibrillator
AMI—acute myocardial
infarction
ARVD—arrhythmogenic right
ventricular dysplasia
AS—aortic stenosis
ASD—atrial septal defect
AV, A-V—atrioventricular
AVR—aortic valve
replacement
BBB—bundle branch block
BNP—brain natriuretic
peptide; elevated in congestive heart failure
BP—blood pressure
CABG—coronary artery
bypass grafting
CAD—coronary artery
disease
CCU—coronary care unit
Cath—catheterization
CHF--congestive heart
failure
CK—creatine kinase;
released into the bloodstream after injury to the heart or skeletal muscles
CoA—coarctation of the
aorta
CPR—cardiopulmonar resuscitation
CRT—cardia resynchronization therapy; biventricular
pacing
CTNI or CTNT—cardiac troponin-I
and cardiac troponin-T; troponin is a protein released into the bloodstream
after myocardial injury
CV—cardiovascular
DES—drug-eluting stent
DSA—digital subtraction
angiography
DVT—deep vein thrombosis
ECMO—extracorporeal
membrane oxygenation
ECG or EKG—electrocardiography
ECHO—echocardiography
EF—ejection fraction;
measure of the amount of blood that pumps out of the heart with each beat
EPS—electrophysiology
study; electrode catheters are inserted into veins and threaded into the heart
and electrical conduction is measured
ETT—exercise tolerance
test
ETT-MIBI—exercise tolerance
test combined with a radioactive tracer scan
HDL—high-density lipoprotein;
high blood levels are associated with lower incidence of coronary artery
disease
HTN—hypertension (high
blood pressure)
IABP—intra-aortic balloon
pump; used to support patients in cardiogenic shock
ICD—implantablecardioverter-defibrillator
LAD—left anterior
descending (coronary artery)
LDL—low-density
lipoprotein
LMWP—low-molecular weight
heparin
LV—left ventricle
LVAD—left ventricular
assist device
LVH—left ventricular
hypertrophy
MI—myocardial infarction
MR—mitral regurgitation
MUGA—multiple-gated
acquisition scan; a radioactive test of heart function
MVP—mitral valve prolapse
NSR—normal sinus rhythm
NSTEMI—non-ST elevation
myocardial infarction
PAC—premature atrial
contraction
PAD—peripheral arterial
disease
PCI—percutaneous coronary
intervention
PDA—patentductus
arteriosus; posterior descending artery
PVC—premature ventricular
contraction
SA; S-A node—sinoatrial node
SCD—sudden cardiac death
SOB—shortness of breath
SPECT—single photon
emission computed tomography; used for myocardial imaging with sestamibi scans
SSCP—substernal chest pain
STEMI—ST elevation
myocardial infarction
SVT—supraventricular
tachycardia; rapid heartbeats arising from the atria and causing palpitations,
SOB, and dizziness
Tc—technetium
TEE—transesophageal echocardiography
TGA—transposition of the
great arteries
tPA—tissue-type
plasminogen activator; a drug used to prevent thrombosis
UA—unstable angina;
chest pain at rest or of increasing frequency
VF—ventricular
fibrillation
VSD—ventricular septal
defect
VT—ventricular
tachycardia
WPW—Wolff-Parkinson-White
syndrome; an abnormal ECG pattern often associated with paroxysmal tachycardia
