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Glossary
All
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Stress test |
An electrocardiogram performed while the patient exercises in a controlled manner on a treadmill or stationary bicycle at varied speeds and elevations. This test can help detect heart vessel irregularities, disease, and damage. See also Electrocardiogram. |
| Stroke |
Interruption of blood flow to parts of the brain caused by a blocked or bleeding artery that results in the death of cells in the brain. Also known as a brain attack. See also Ischemic stroke and Hemorrhagic stroke. |
| Stroke belt |
An area in the southeastern US, particularly South Carolina, North Carolina, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia, that has an unusually high rate of stroke and heart disease |
| Stroke volume |
The amount of blood that the heart pumps out at each contraction. |
| Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) |
bleeding in the tissue or space surrounding the brain |
| Subclavian vein |
The large vein under the collarbone. |
| Sublingual |
Under the tongue. |
| Sudden cardiac death (SCD) |
When the heart abruptly stops beating, often brought on by a heart rhythm problem. |
| Super aspirin Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors |
Antiplatelet medications that reduce the bloods ability to clot; called super aspirins because they work in a similar way to aspirin, but have a much stronger effect. |
| Superior vena cava |
The large vein that returns blood from the head and arms to the heart. |
| Supraventricular |
Meaning above the ventricles. A descriptor for heart rhythm disturbances that affect the upper chambers of the heart. |
| surgical aneurysm repair |
a surgical procedure in which the diseased part of the aorta is removed and replaced with an artificial graft; the standard treatment to prevent aortic aneurysms from bursting |
| Surgical clipping |
Procedure that uses a metal clip to block off an aneurysm that has caused a bleeding (hemorrhagic) stroke |
| Sympathetic nervous system |
The section of the autonomic nervous system that controls heart rate, size of blood vessels, and many other functions of the body. |
| Syncope |
The medical term for fainting, a symptom of heart failure. |
