Glossary

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V Fib (Ventricular Fibrillation)

V Tach (Ventricular Tachycardia)

Valve
A membranous fold in a canal or passage, which prevents the reflux of the contents passing through it.

Vascular
Pertaining to blood vessels or indicative of a copious blood supply.

Vasoconstrict
The arterioles decrease in diameter restricting blood flow to an organ or portion of the body.

Vasodilate
The arterioles increase in diameter allowing more blood flow.

Vein
Vessel carrying dark red (unaerated) blood to the heart, except for the pulmonary vein -- which carries oxygenated blood.

Vein Harvesting
A procedure, in which, a section of a vein is taken from one part of the body to replace or replace a diseased blood vessel in another body area. The most common vein harvested for bypass surgery is the saphenous vein (in the leg).

Vena Cava (Venae Cavae - Plural)
The large vein(s) collecting the venous return from the head, neck and shoulders (superior vena cava) and the legs and gut (inferior vena cava) draining into the right atrium of the heart.

Ventricle
A small cavity or chamber, as in the brain or heart.
Right Ventricle—The lower chamber of the right side of the heart which pumps venous blood through the pulmonary trunk and arteries to the capillaries of the lung.
Left Ventricle—The lower chamber of the left side of the heart which pumps arterial blood through the aorta for distribution to the peripheral tissues.

Ventricular Fibrillation
An arrhythmia characterized by fibrillary contractions of the ventricular muscle due to rapid repetitive excitation of myocardial fibers without coordinated contraction of the ventricle.

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