Cardio Vascular System - Abbreviation

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