Here are definitions of some of the medical terms that you are likely to hear or read while you are a cardiovascular patient:

Anticoagulant: A drug that reduces or stops the ability of blood to coagulate, or form clots.
Arrhythmia: Any variation from the normal rhythm of the heartbeat.
Atherectomy: A procedure that uses a cutting tool on the end of a catheter to remove material that is obstructing an artery.
Atheroma: The material that obstructs an artery. It is composed of thickened tissue from the interior wall of the artery. This tissue is often called plaque.
Atherosclerosis: A condition in which yellowish plaque is formed within large and medium-sized arteries.
Cardiac catheterization: The process by which a catheter is passed through an artery or vein into the heart to diagnose and/or treat heart disorders.
Cineangiography (CINE): Photographic recording of the activity of the heart and the blood vessels that enter and leave it. The result is a motion picture of the heart's activity.
Coronary arteriography: X-rays of the coronary arteries taken after a fluid has been injected in an artery through a catheter.
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG): A section of vein or artery from another part of the body that is grafted between the aorta and a coronary artery. The graft is placed because the artery is obstructed. Often called bypass surgery.
Defibrillation/Cardioversion: Delivery of a large electrical current to the heart when it is beating erratically. The purpose is to restore a regular heartbeat.
Doppler imaging: The use of sound waves to study the flow of blood in the heart and the blood vessels.
Echocardiography: The use of sound waves to study the structure of the heart and blood vessels.
Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG): A tracing of the electrical activity of the heart. The tracing is made by a machine that receives electrical signals from sensors placed on the surface of the patient's body.
Electrophysiology: The branch of cardiology that studies the electrical processes in the heart.
Fibrinolysis: This is what happens when enzymes in the blood dissolve blood clots.
Hypertension: High blood pressure.
Ischemia: Deficiency of blood anywhere in the body due to a constricted or obstructed blood vessel. Myocardial ischemia is a deficiency of blood supply to the heart muscle.
Interventional cardiology: A specialized area of cardiology that treats heart disease with catheters to improve blood flow.
Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP): A balloon on a catheter is inserted into the aorta and inflated intermittently to improve the delivery of blood to the heart.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): A relatively new technique of making images of internal body functions. MRI is non-invasive and risk-free.
Myocardial infarction (MI): Interruption of blood flow to the heart muscle that results in damage to the muscle. Often called a heart attack.
Percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTCA): Use of a small balloon on the end of a catheter to flatten plaque against the wall of an artery.
Prosthetic valve: An artificial heart valve.
Radionuclide angiography: A non-invasive method of studying the activity of the left ventricle of the heart at rest and during exercise.
Scintigraphy: The use of radioactive substances to record images of their distribution in body tissues.
Streptokinase: An artificial enzyme that dissolves blood clots.
Thallium: A radioactive isotope used to diagnose abnormal blood flow in the heart.
Thrombolysis: The dissolving of blood clots.
Tissue type plasminogen activator (t-PA): An enzyme that dissolves blood clots.
Urokinase: An enzyme derived from human urine that dissolves blood clots.
Valvular regurgitation: Regurgitation of blood (blood moving the wrong way) in the heart. Caused by a heart valve malfunction.
Valvuloplasty: Use of a balloon catheter to improve the function of heart valves.