Reference: Davies, L., & Mann, M. (2000). Heart children a practical handbook for parents of babies and children with heart conditions. 4th Ed. Parent and Family Resource Centre Inc. Auckland.
Please select an alphabetic section below to view the glossary
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Leucocyte
White blood cell that fights infection.
Lumen
The passageway inside a tubular organ. Vascular lumen is the passageway inside
a blood vessel.
Lymph
Body fluid running in channels, drains fluid and particularly fats from the
bowel back into the circulation.
Mediastinum
Space in the chest between the lungs, heart and great vessels.
Mitral Insufficiency
Incomplete closure of the mitral valves. When the ventricle contracts some
blood leaks back to the left atrium. Sometimes the result of scar tissue forming
after rheumatic fever infection.
Mitral Stenosis
A narrowing of the valve (called bicuspid or mitral valve) opens between the
upper and lower chamber in the left side of the heart. Sometimes the result
of scar tissue forming after rheumatic fever infection.
Mitral Valve
Two-cusped valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle.
Murmur
Noise produced by blood flow in the heart and vessels.
Myocardial Insufficiency
An inability of the heart muscle (myocardium) to maintain normal circulation.
Myocardium
The muscular wall of the heart. The thickest of the three layers of the heartwall,
it lies between the inner layer (endocardium) and the outer layer (epicardium).
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Neonate
Baby in the first month of life.
Node
Area of specialised cell that controls the rhythm of the heart.
Oedema
Swelling due to abnormally large amounts of fluid in the tissues of the body.
Oliguria
Too little urine.
Oximeter
A machine to measure oxygen.
Oxygen
Part of the air that is needed by all animal cells for normal working.
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Pacemaker
Electrical control of the heart. ARTIFICAL PACEMAKER. An electrical device
which can substitute for a natural pacemaker and control the beating of the
heart by a series of rhythmical electrical discharges. If the electrodes which
deliver the discharges to the heart are placed on the outside of the chest
it is called an external pacemaker. If they are placed within the chest wall
it is called an internal pacemaker.
Paediatric
Word to describe medical problems in children.
Palpitation
A fluttering of the heart or abnormal rate or rhythm of the heart experienced
by the person himself.
Papillary Muscles
Small bundles of muscles in the wall of the ventricles of the heart to which
cords leading to the cusps of the valves (chordae tendineae) are attached.
When the valves are closed these muscles contract and tighten the cords which
hold the valve firmly shut.
Paroxysmal Tachycardia
A period of rapid heart beats which begins and ends suddenly.
Percussion
Tapping the body as an aid in diagnosing the condition of parts beneath by
the sound obtained, much as one taps on the barrel to detect its fullness.
Pericarditis
Inflammation of the thin membrane sac (pericardium) which surrounds the heart.
Pericardium
A thin membrane sac which surrounds the heart and roots of the great vessels.
Peripheral Resistance
The resistance offered by the arterioles and capillaries to the flow of blood
from the arteries to the veins (the narrower the vessel the higher the resistance).
An increase in peripheral resistance causes a rise in blood pressure.
Platelets
Small particles in the blood which are important for blood clotting.
Plasma
The cell-free liquid portion of uncoagulated blood. It is different from serum,
which is the fluid portion of the blood obtained after clotting.
Pleura
Covering layer of the lungs and the inside of the chest.
Pneumothorax
Air outside the lung and within the chest cavity.
Polycythaemia
Abnormal condition of the blood characterised by an increased number of red
blood cells.
Prognosis
An estimation of outlook for the patient's particular problem.
Prophylaxis
Preventive treatment.
Pulmonary
Pertaining to the lungs.
Purkinje Fibres
Specialised muscular fibres forming a network in the walls of the ventricles
involved in conducting electrical impulses. These electrical impulses are
responsible for contractions of the heart.
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Last Updated: March 2003
Last Reviewed: November 2003
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