1.
Angina pectoris: acute chest pain that occurs when myocardial demand exceeds its oxygen supply
2.
Aortic regurgitation: (aortic insufficiency) incompetent aortic valve that allows backward flow blood into left ventricle during diastole
3.
Aortic stenosis: calcification of aortic valve cusps that restricts forward flow of blood during systole
4.
Aortic valve: the left semilunar valve separating the left ventricles and the aorta
5.
Apex of the heart: tip of the heart pointing down toward the 5th left intercostal space
6.
Apical impulse: (point of maximal impulse, PMI) pulsation created as the left ventricle rotates against the chest wall during systole, normally at the 5th intercostal space in the midclavicular line
7.
Base of the heart: broader area of heart outline located at the 3rd right and left intercostal space
8.
Bell of the stethoscope: cup shaped end piece used for soft, low pitched heart sound
9.
Bradycardia: slow heart rate less then 50 beats per minute
10.
Clubbing: bulbous enlargement of distal phalanges of fingers and toes that occurs with chronic cyanotic heart and lung conditions
11.
Coarctation of aorta: severe narrowing of the descending aorta, a congenital heart defect
12.
Cor pulmonale: right ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure due to pulmonary hypertension
13.
Cyanosis: dusky blue mottling of the skin and mucous membranes due to excessive amount of reduced hemoglobin in the blood
14.
Diaphragm of the stethoscope: flat end piece of the stethoscope used for hearing relatively high pitched heart sound
15.
Diastole: the heart's filling phase
16.
Dsypnea: difficult breathing
17.
Edema: swelling of legs or dependent body part die to increased interstitial fluid
18.
Erb's point: traditional auscultatory area in the 3rd left intercostal space
19.
First heart sound (S1): occurs with close of the atrioventricular (AV) valves signaling the beginning of systole
20.
Fourth heart sound (S4): (S4 gallop, atrial gallop) very soft, low pitched ventricular filling sound that occurs in late diastole
21.
Gallop rhythm: the addition of a 3rd or a 4th heart sound makes the rhythm sound like the cadence of a galloping horse
22.
Inching: technique of moving the stethoscope incrementally across the precordium through the auscultatory areas while listening to the heart sounds
23.
LVH (left ventricular hypertrophy): increase in thickness of myocardial wall that occurs when the heart pumps against chronic outflow obstruction (ex. aortic stenosis)
24.
MCL (midclavicular line): imaginary vertical incompetent mitral valve allows regurgitation of blood back into left atrium during systole
25.
Mitral regurgitation: (mitral insufficiency) incompetent mitral valve allows regurgitation of blood back into left atrium during systole
26.
Mitral stenosis: calcified mitral valve impedes
27.
Mitral valve: Left AV valve separating the left atria and ventricles
28.
Palpitation: uncomfortable awareness of rapid or irregular heart rate
29.
Paradoxical splitting: opposite of a normal split S2 so that the split is heard in expiration and in inspiration that sounds fuse to one sound
30.
Pericardial friction rub: high pitched, scratchy extracardiac sound heard when the precordium is inflamed
31.
Physiologic splitting: normal variation in S2 heard as two separate components during inspiration
32.
Precordium: area of the chest wall overlying the heart and great vessels
33.
Pulmonic regurgitation: (pulmonary insufficiency) backflow of blood through incompetent pulmonic valve into the right ventricle
34.
Pulmonic stenosis: calcification of pulmonic valve separating the right ventricle and pulmonary artery
35.
Pulmonic valve: right semilunar valve separating the right ventricle and pulmonary artery
36.
Second heart sound (S2): occurs with closure of the semilunar valve, aortic and pulmonic and signals the end of systole
37.
Summation gallop: abnormal mid-diastolic heart sound heard when both the pathological S3 and S4 are present
38.
Syncope: temporary loss of consciousness due to decreased cerebral blood flow (fainting), caused by ventricular asystole, pronounced bradycardia, or ventricular fibrillation
39.
Systole: the heart's pumping phase
40.
Tachycardia: rapid heart rate greater 90 beats per minute in the adult
41.
Third heart sound (S3): soft, low pitched ventricular filling sound that occurs in early diastole (S3 gallop) and may be an early sign of heart failure
42.
Thrill: palpate vibration on the chest wall accompanying severe heart murmur
43.
Tricuspid valve: right AV valve separating the right atria and ventricle
