Glossary of Terms

A procedure in which radiofrequency energy is delivered through an intracardiac catheter to effectively heat the heart tissue and render it electrically inactive.  Used to treat tachyarrhythmias.

Symptoms experienced when the heart muscle is not receiving adequate oxygen (may include chest, arm or back pain, shortness of breath).

An X-ray of blood vessels filled with contrast media; a diagnostic procedure is generally referred to as an angiogram.

A less-invasive treatment of the coronary arteries to open blocked arterial vessels. Also known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Any variation from a normal heartbeat. It can be an abnormality either of the rate, the regularity or site of impulse origin or the sequence of activation. A slow heart rate is a bradyarrhythmia and a fast heart rate is a tachyarrhythmia.

A procedure to remove plaque from the inside of a blood vessel. Most commonly, atherectomy is done in major arteries such as the coronary arteries and other major arteries that have experienced the occlusive effects of atherosclerosis. Atherectomy may be accomplished by various means, including a balloon-tipped catheter, a laser, conventional surgical incision or a small, drill-tipped catheter.

A disease in which the flow of blood to the heart is restricted with plaque deposits (a build-up of cholesterol and other fats, calcium and certain other elements carried in the blood) and therefore, less oxygen and other nutrients reach the heart muscle. This may lead to chest pain (angina pectoris) or to a heart attack (myocardial infarction).

Opening a blocked artery by using a balloon catheter that is inflated inside the vessel. A catheter is a thin plastic tube used to access various parts of the body, such as the coronary arteries. A treatment device – such as a stent – is often attached to the catheter.

A catheter with a balloon attached to the tip, used to dilate and widen a passageway in the body. Balloon catheters are used to open arteries that are blocked by plaque by compressing the blockage against the wall of the vessel, opening a passage and restoring blood flow. The balloon catheter now also serves as a means to open an adequate pathway to deliver a stent, known as pre-dilatation.

A catheter with a balloon attached to the tip, used to dilate and widen a passageway in the body.