Cardiology I – A Review of Cardiovascular Anatomy and Physiology
by Cwanza A. Pinckney, M.D.

Matching Exercise

Perfusion
The flow of blood through the lumen of a vessel.
Hypertrophy
Growth of muscle tissue secondary to increased work.
Diastole
Period of the heart cycle characterized by filling of the ventricles with blood.
Systole
The phase of the cardiac cycle characterized by contraction.
Automaticity
Characterized by independence from central nervous system control. Enables the heart to produce action potentials.
Blood Pressure
The tension of blood within the arteries.
Shock
A condition characterized by failure of the circulatory system to maintain adequate perfusion of vital organs.
Tamponade
Compression of the heart resulting from an increased volume of fluid in the pericardial sac.
Beta-receptor
A receptor which, when stimulated, increases heart rate and contractility, as well as dilates the bronchial tree and vascular smooth muscle.
Contractility
The ability of a muscle fiber to shorten or increase its tension.
Depolarization
Characterized by a change in polarity.
Action Potential
The change in the electrical potential of a membrane that occurs when a nerve or muscle cell is excited.

References:

-Dirckx JH, ed. Stedman’s Concise Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions: Illustrated. 4th ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2001.