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  • Cardio Terms
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• Cardio Terms

- B -

• Bacterial Endocarditis

A term used to describe an infection of a heart valve. Infections of heart valves can occur with the patients own native valve or with a valve that was previously implanted. Any of the 4 valves in the heart can become infected. The infection is usually secondary to some other infection in the body that has allowed bacteria into the blood stream. As the bacteria come in contact with the valve, the valve can become infected, especially if there is an abnormal surface or function of the valve tissue. Valve infections, i.e. endocarditis, can be treated with antibiotics, but often surgery is needed to remove the infected tissue and repair or replace the valve.



• Base excess (BE)

A measurement of the total acid base ratio; the difference between the actual blood buffer concentration and the normal blood buffer concentration, reflects mainly the [hco3-] in the plasma compaired with the expected [hco3-].



• BB

Blood buffer, the sum of all of the plasma and rbc blood buffer systems: bicarbonate, hemoglobin, phosphate and proteins that serve to prevent changes in the ph of the blood.



• BBB

Bundle branch block.



• Beating Heart Surgery (OFF-PUMP CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS SURGERY)

A term used to describe coronary artery bypass grafting surgery in which the heart is allowed to continue beating normally while the bypasses are being performed by the surgeon and the surgical team. In most heart surgeries, including coronary artery bypass surgery, the heart is supported with the heart-lung machine. The vast majority of heart operations require that the heart is stopped so that the surgery can be performed. In recent years, technology and techniques have been developed that allow some patients to have coronary artery bypass surgery performed without the need for heart-lung machine support. In these cases the patient�s heart is not stopped, but is allowed to beat normally while the surgeon performs the required coronary artery bypasses. Not all patients are candidates for off-pump/beating heart coronary artery bypass surgery. The potential benefits of performing the surgery in this fashion are a quicker recovery, shorter hospital stay, and avoiding the potential physiological effects of being on the heart-lung machine..



• Beta blocker (BETA-ADRENERGIC BLOCKING AGENT)

A drug that blocks the effect of catecholamines, producing a decrease in heart rate and oxygen demand in the myocardium.



• Bicarbonate [HCO3-]

The most common base found in the plasma and rbc.



• Biopsy

The removal and examination of tissue for diagnosis.



• BiVAD

Bi-ventricular assist device; the use of two blood propulsion devices or eccs to assist the failing right and left ventricles.



• Blood

Blood is a fluid composed of cells and plasma that flow in the arteries and veins of the body. The cellular components of blood are red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Plasma is the fluid component of blood that carries red and white blood cells to the body�s organs as well as the nutrients and by-products of metabolism. Red cells, by far the most common cell component in blood, give blood its red color. Red cells contain hemoglobin, a protein that allows red cells to carry oxygen to the tissues and bring CO2 (carbon dioxide) back to the lungs, where the CO2 is exchanged for a new charge of oxygen. White cells are important in fighting infections, while platelets are crucial to proper clotting. Plasma, which contains many proteins, carries nutrients and helps bring the by-products of metabolism to the liver and kidneys for processing or elimination.



• Blood Gas (ABG)

Laboratory test that usually includes the ph, po2, pco2, total co2, hco3-, be, hb saturation, hct, and possibly the k+, ca++, and glucose.



• Blood Pressure

Measured in two levels, blood pressure is the degree of pressure exerted by the heart and arteries to keep the blood circulating in the blood vessels throughout the body. The maximum level, systolic pressure, records the force exerted in the arteries with each heartbeat or contraction, to propel the blood out of the left ventricle of the heart and into the aorta, the large artery. The minimum level, the diastolic pressure, records the relaxed phase of the heart, between beats. This pressure indicates to the doctor the condition of the small blood vessels or arterioles--that is, their ability to contract and keep the flow of blood constant throughout the body.



• Blood Types

Also called the Landsteiner classification, the ABO blood groups classify blood into four types, A, B, AB, and O, and recognizes which blood groups can be safely mixed. Type O blood can give to all blood types, but can receive only from type O. AB blood type can give to only AB, but can receive from any group. Thus type O is sometimes called the universal donor and type AB the universal recipient. Type A can give to types A and AB and receive only from types A and O, and type B can give to types B and AB, and receive only from type B or O.



• Blood volume

The amount of blood circulating throughout the body in the vascular system.



• BMR

Basal metabolic rate.



• Bohr effect

The influence of carbon dioxide on the affinity of hemoglobin to bind with oxygen, increasing the carbon dioxide level decreases the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen.



• BPG

Bypass graft.



• BPM

Beats per minute.



• BQ

Blood flow.



• Bronchial Tubes

Large, delicate tubes that carry air into the tiny branches and smaller cells of the lungs after this air has passed through the mouth, nasal passages, and windpipe (trachea).



• Bronchiectasis

A group of infectious disease conditions of the lungs characterized by dilatation of the lung�s airways, known as bronchi. The cause of bronchiectasis involves several predisposing factors, some of which are congenital and some of which are acquired secondary to a variety of infections. Acquired infections are the most common cause of bronchiectasis, especially infection acquired in childhood.



• Bronchioles / bronchi

The tubes or airways for the lungs that lead from the trachea to the alveoli.



• Bronchitis

An inflammation or infection of the lung�s airways, which are known as bronchi. In general, anytime an 'itis' is attached to a medical noun, that implies that the organ is inflamed or infected. Examples: appendicitis, an inflammation of the appendix; gastritis, an inflammation of the stomach.



• Bronchopneumonia

An infection of the lungs involving the major air passages of the lungs. It is generally caused by a bacterial infection.



• Bronchoscope

An instrument used to look inside the lung�s airways, which are known as a bronchus/bronchi or bronchiole, depending on the size of the airway. Most bronchoscopes consist of a flexible tube that is divided into three channels: the first channel has a fiberoptic channel that delivers light to the end of the scope; the second channel has an optic system that allows the physician to view inside the lungs; the third channel allows the physician to sample tissue, with biopsy tools or aspirate fluid from the different parts of the lungs. A bronchoscope is used to look inside the lungs to look for cancers, benign tumors, or infections, or to clear excessive fluids or mucous that may be blocking an airway. An alternative to the flexible bronchoscope, a rigid bronchoscope is a metal tube with the same components as the flexible bronchoscope, except the viewing channel is simply the opening in the metal tube. In general, most bronchoscopic exams are done using a flexible bronchoscope, with the patient under mild sedation..



• Bronchus / Bronchi / Bronchioles

The airways of the lungs. When a person takes in a breath of air, the air travels through the nose or mouth, into the larynx, then into the trachea, which is the main passageway into the lungs. The trachea divides into a right and left main bronchus. Each major bronchus then subdivides into smaller airway passages referred to as bronchi. As the airway passages make their way out to the lung tissue, the passages become smaller and are referred to as bronchioles. Eventually the bronchioles terminate into small collections of air sacs known as alveoli, which is where the actual exchange of CO2 and Oxygen occur.



• BSA

Body surface area (usually in square meters).



• BSBE

Breath sounds bilateral and equal.



• BT Shunt

Blalock-taussig shunt .



• BTBV

Beat to beat variability.



• Buffer

A chemical system that prevents change in concentration of another chemical substance; a substance which acts in a solution to resist any change in ph of the solution when acid or base is added; the combination strong acid and a week conjugate base.



• BUN

Blood urea nitrogen.



• Bundle branch block

An ecg change characterized by an intraventricular conduction delay affecting the left ventricular wall and septum. Acute occurrences most commonly result from myocardial ischemia.



• BVH

Biventricular hypertrophy.



• Bypass

A procedure that diverts or reroutes the ordinary flow of blood. In heart surgery, bypass is most often used to describe two procedures or techniques: 1) Cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery, or 2) Coronary artery bypass surgery. Cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery is a technique where a heart-lung machine is used to support a patient�s heart and lung function during an open heart procedure. When cardio-pulmonary bypass is utilized, blood is drained from the body by a tube (cannula) that is usually placed in the right atrium, where all of the venous blood of the body is transported. The blood is drained to the heart-lung machine, which removes CO2, adds Oxygen, and then pumps the blood back to the patient, through plastic tubing from the heart-lung machine, usually into the patient�s aorta. By removing the blood from the right atrium, the heart and the lungs are 'bypassed'. And by the heart-lung machine pumping blood back to the body, the heart is 'bypassed'. The other use of the word 'bypass' in heart surgery refers to coronary artery bypass surgery. In this procedure, a vein or artery from the patient�s body is used to construct an alternative pathway for blood to go around, or 'bypass', a narrowing or blockage in the patient�s coronary artery. Hence the name 'coronary artery bypass'..