Mitral Valve Prolapse Glossary of Terms

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Ambulatory: Able to walk about, not bedridden or immobile.

Anxiety: A feeling of apprehension and fear, characterized by physical symptoms such as pa...

Aorta: The largest artery in the body, the aorta arises from the left ventricle of the he...

Artery: A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to the far...

Atrium: An entry chamber. On both sides of the heart, the atrium is the chamber that leads...

Autonomic nervous system: A part of the nervous system that regulates key involuntary func...

Barlow syndrome: Barlow syndrome is mitral valve prolapse (also known as "click murm...

Benign: Not malignant. A benign tumor is one that does not invade surrounding tissue or sp...

Blood clot: A mass of coagulated blood. A blood clot can block a major blood vessel, causi...

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Caffeine: A stimulant compound found naturally in coffee, tea, cocoa (chocolate), and kola...

Cardiac: Having to do with the heart.

Cardiovascular: Relating to the circulatory system, which comprises the heart and blood ve...

Catheter: A thin, flexible tube.

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chest pain: Pain in the chest that can be a result of many things, including angina, heart...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Chronic fatigue syndrome: A debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fa...

Click-murmur syndrome: Mitral valve prolapse (also known as "Barlow's syndrome")...

Congestive heart failure: Inability of the heart to keep up with the demands on it, with f...

Connective tissue: A material made up of fibers forming a framework and support structure...

Contraction: The tightening and shortening of a muscle.

Dehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that ca...

Depression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

ECG: Electrocardiogram.

Electrocardiogram: A recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Abbreviated ECG an...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Endocarditis: an inflammation of one or more of the heart valves and lining tissues of the...

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart attack: The death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. The loss of bloo...

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Heart failure: Inability of the heart to keep up with the demands on it and, specifically...

Heart murmur: An unusual, 'whooshing' heart sound that may be innocent or may reflect dise...

Heart muscle: A type of muscle with unique features only found in the heart. The heart mus...

Heart valves: There are four heart valves. All are one-way valves. Blood entering the ...

Holter monitor: A type of portable heart monitor that is a small electrocardiogram (EKG) d...

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

Internal medicine: The medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and medical treatment ...

Involuntary: Done other than in accordance with the conscious will of the individual. The ...

Ischemia: Inadequate blood supply to a local area due to blockage of blood vessels leading...

Left atrium: The upper right chamber of the heart. The left atrium receives oxygenated blo...

Left ventricle: The left lower chamber of the heart that receives blood from the left atri...

Leg: In popular usage, the part of the body from the top of the thigh down to the foot, an...

Midwife: A trained person who assists women during childbirth. Many midwives also provide ...

Migraine: Usually, periodic attacks of headaches on one or both sides of the head. These ...

Mitral insufficiency: A malfunction of the mitral valve that permits the backflow of blood...

Mitral regurgitation: Backflow of blood from the left ventricle to the left atrium due to ...

Mitral valve: A valve in the heart that is situated between the left atrium and the left v...

Mitral valve prolapse: A common heart valve anomaly affecting 5'10 percent of people that ...

MPH: Master of public health, a degree designating successful training in analyzing past, ...

Murmur: A sound due to vibrations from the flow of blood through the heart or great vessel...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Obstetrician: A physician who specializes in obstetrics.

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Palpitations: Unpleasant sensations of irregular and/or forceful beating of the heart. In ...

Panic: A sudden strong feeling of fear that prevents reasonable thought or action. The wor...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Primary care: A patient's main source for regular medical care, ideally providing continui...

Primary care provider: In insurance parlance, a physician who is chosen by or assigned to ...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Regurgitation: A backward flowing. For example, vomiting is a regurgitation of food from t...

Rule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera...

Rupture: A break or tear in any organ (such as the spleen) or soft tissue (such as the ach...

Shortness of breath: Difficulty in breathing. Medically referred to as dyspnea. Shortness ...

Sternum: The long flat bone in the upper middle of the front of the chest. The sternum art...

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

Supraventricular tachycardia: Abbreviated SVT. A regular, abnormally fast heart beat (tac...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Systolic: The blood pressure when the heart is contracting. It is specifically the maximum...

Tachycardia: A rapid heart rate, usually defined as greater than 100 beats per minute.

Tendon: The soft tissue by which muscle attaches to bone. Tendons are somewhat flexible, b...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Thyroid: 1. The thyroid gland. Also, pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. A p...

Thyroid hormone: A chemical substance made by the thyroid gland for export into the bloods...

Treadmill: A machine with a moving strip on which one walks without moving forward. A trea...

Trigger: Something that either sets off a disease in people who are genetically predispose...

Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves. Ultra-sound waves can be bounced off tissues by us...

Urinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur...

Ventricle: A chamber of an organ. For example, the four connected cavities in the central ...

Ventricular: Pertaining to the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart, as in ventricu...

Ventricular tachycardia: An abnormal heart rhythm that is rapid and regular and that origi...

Viral: Of or pertaining to a virus. For example, if a person has a viral rash, the rash wa...