Cardiovascular Terminology

noun a condition marked by severe pain in the chest, often also spreading to the shoulders, arms, and neck, caused by an inadequate blood supply to the heart

• Angina is a type of chest pain that is caused by reduced blood flow to the heart.
• My grandmother has been experiencing angina lately, so she's going to see a cardiologist.
• I heard that stress can trigger angina in some people.
• The political turmoil felt like a heavy weight on his chest, causing a metaphorical angina attack.

noun a medical condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs

• The patient was diagnosed with severe heart failure and was immediately admitted to the hospital.
• My grandma has been dealing with heart failure for a few years now, but she's a fighter.
• I heard John's uncle had a bad case of heart failure, but he's doing better now.
• The team's heart failure in the final moments of the game cost them the championship title.

noun a soft, indistinct sound

verb to speak in a low, soft voice

• The doctor detected a soft murmur in the patient's heartbeat.
• I could hear a murmur of conversation coming from the next room.
• The students were murmuring about the upcoming test.
• There was a murmur of excitement in the air as the concert was about to begin.

noun a noticeably rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeat due to agitation, exertion, or illness

• The patient complained of experiencing palpitations after climbing the stairs.
• I get palpitations whenever I have to speak in public.
• I had such bad palpitations during the horror movie.
• The palpitations of excitement were almost overwhelming as she waited for the results.

noun A noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'myocardial infarction' is a noun that refers to a medical condition commonly known as a heart attack.

• The patient was diagnosed with a myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack.
• I heard that Jim's grandpa had a myocardial infarction last week.
• My dad had a massive heart attack, they called it a myocardial infarction.
• Experiencing betrayal felt like a myocardial infarction to her heart.