Unit 29 Vocabulary: The Heart and Lungs

Noun (thing)
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Airway
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a tube by which air can pass into the lungs
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"First responders are taught to check patients for a blocked airway."
Noun (thing)
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Anoxia
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having no oxygen
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"Anoxia can have long-lasting effects on the patient such as brain damage."
Adjective
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Anterior
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of or connected to the front of the body
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"The infection was restricted to the anterior of the eye."
Noun (thing)
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Asphyxia
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suffocation, the deprival of oxygen
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"The medical examiner concluded that he had died from asphyxia."
Noun (thing)
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Cardiac arrest
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the stopping of the heart
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"Mortality rates from cardiac arrest have improved over time with updated procedures and medical equipment."
Noun (thing)
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Cardiomyopathy
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any disorder of the heart muscle
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"Proper diet and exercise are important for the prevention of cardiomyopathy."
Noun (thing)
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Cardiotonic
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medicine used to improve the pumping of the heart
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"The patient responded well to the cardiotonic medicine."
Noun (thing)
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Cardioversion
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using electric shocks to stabilize the heart beat
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"Cardioversion is used primarily to treat a fast, irregular heart rhythm."
Adjective
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Caudal
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near or in the direction of the lower side of the organ
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"The artery enters the heart at the caudal pole."
Noun (thing)
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Consequences
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the results or outcomes of an action
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"There are many negative consequences from drug abuse."
Noun (thing)
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Croup
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a breathing condition in children causing coughing
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"It is important to keep a child suffering from croup calm as agitation can worsen the coughing."
Noun (thing)
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Diastole
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the rest period of the heart between contractions
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"During diastole the aortic and pulmonary valves remain closed."
Noun (thing)
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Distal
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referring to a further distance from the center
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"The radius was fractured at the distal end."
Adjective
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Efferent
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carrying away from a starting point, such as an organ or the central nervous system
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"Efferent nerves carry neural impulses away from the central nervous system to the muscles to cause movement."
Noun (thing)
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Lobe
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a rounded or hanging part of something
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"The pituitary gland is divided into the anterior lobe and the posterior lobe."
Noun (thing)
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Pacemaker
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a device inserted under the skin to control the heart rate
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"Implanting a pacemaker is now considered a minor surgical procedure."
Noun (thing)
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Pericardium
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the membrane enclosing the heart and the roots of the great blood vessels
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"An inflamed pericardium will cause chest pain."
Noun (thing)
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Pleura
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thin tissue covering the interior walls of the chest and the exterior of the lungs
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"The pleura aids the lungs in breathing by providing lubrication and cushioning."
Adjective
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Pulmonary
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of or connected to the lungs
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"The child was born with a congenital pulmonary malformation."
Noun (thing)
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Ventilator
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a machine used to help a person breathe
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"The comatose boy was put on a ventilator to help keep him alive."
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