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alveolus - air sac where gas
exchange takes place.
angina
- chest pain.
aorta - blood vessel that
delivers oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to the body; it is the largest blood
vessel in the body.
apex - top portion of the upper
lobes of the lungs.
atrium - one of the two
receiving chambers of the heart.
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base - bottom portion of lower
lobes, located just above the diaphragm.
blood pressure -pressure
of blood against the walls of a blood vessel or heart chamber.
bronchiolitis - inflammation
that involves the bronchioles (small airways).
bronchoscopy - the
examination of the bronchi (the main airways of the lungs) using a flexible
tube (bronchoscope). Bronchoscopy helps to evaluate and diagnose lung
problems, assess blockages, obtain samples of tissue and/or fluid, and/or to
help remove a foreign body.
bronchus - large airways; lung
divides into right and left bronchi.
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cardiac output - total amount of
blood being pumped by the heart over a particular period of time.
catheter - thin, flexible
medical tube; one use is to insert it into a blood vessel to measure blood pressure.
constrict - tighten; narrow.
cyanosis -bluish color in
the skin because of insufficient oxygen.
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diaphragm - primary muscle used
for respiration, located just below the lung bases.
diastolic pressure -lowest
pressure to which blood pressure falls between contractions of the ventricles.
dilate - relax; expand.
dyspnea -sensation of
difficulty in breathing.
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edema - swelling due to the
buildup of fluid.
endothelial cells - the delicate
lining, only one cell thick, of the organs of circulation.
expiration - exhaling; giving
off carbon dioxide.
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fibrosis - process by which
inflamed tissue becomes scarred.
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heartbeat - one complete
contraction of the heart.
hyperactive - describes a
situation in which a body tissue is especially likely to have an exaggerated reaction to a
particular situation.
hypertension - abnormally high
blood pressure.
hypotension - abnormally low
blood pressure.
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inspiration - inhaling; taking
in oxygen.
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lobectomy - removal of an entire
lobe of the lung.
lung volume - the amount of air
the lungs hold.
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mean blood pressure - average
blood pressure, taking account of the rise and fall that occurs with each heartbeat. It is
often estimated by multiplying the diastolic pressure by two, adding the systolic
pressure, and then dividing this sum by three.
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palpitation - sensation of rapid
heartbeats.
perfusion - flow.
pleura - membrane that covers
the outside of the lung.
pneumonectomy - removal of an
entire lung.
pulmonary artery - blood vessel
delivering oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.
pulmonary hypertension -
abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs.
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respiration - gas exchange from
air to the blood and from the blood to the body cells.
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smooth muscle - muscle that
performs automatic tasks, such as constricting blood vessels.
spirogram - record of the
amounts of air being moved in and out of the lungs.
syncope - fainting; temporary
loss of consciousness.
systemic - relating to a process
that affects the body generally; in this instance, the way in which blood is supplied
through the aorta to all body organs except the lungs.
systolic pressure - the highest
pressure to which blood pressure rises with the contraction of the ventricles.
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vasodilator - agent that widens
blood vessels.
ventilation - movement of air
(gases) in and out of the lungs.
ventricle - one of the two
pumping chambers of the heart; right ventricle receives oxygen-poor blood from the right
atrium and pumps it to the lungs through the pulmonary artery; left ventricle receives
oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium and pumps it to the body through the aorta.
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