Terminology
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 cardiovascular - of, pertaining to, or affecting the heart and blood vessels.
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Forensic Pathologist - A person who uses the science of the origin, nature, and course of diseases, the conditions and processes of a disease, or any deviation from a healthy, normal, or efficient condition to solve a crime.
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Paramedic - person who is trained to assist a physician or to give first aid or other health care in the absence of a physician, often as part of a police, rescue, or firefighting squad.
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Coronal - an imaginary plane that divides the body or an object into an anterior and posterior section.
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Sagittal - an imaginary plane that divides the body or an object into an left and right section.
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Transverse - an imaginary plane that divides the body or an object into an superior and inferior section.
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Atrium - either of the two upper chambers on each side of the heart that receive blood from the veins and in turn force it into the ventricles.
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Ventricle - either of the two lower chambers on each side of the heart that receive blood from the atria and in turn force it into the arteries.
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Sinotrial node (SN) - pertaining to the sinus venous and atrium
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Atrioventricular node (AV) - pertaining to both the atrium and the ventricle
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Purkinje fibers - any of the specialized cardiac muscle fibers forming a network in the ventricular walls that conduct electric impulses responsible for the contractions of the ventricles.
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Myocardial Infarction (MI) - the loss of living heart muscle as a result of coronary artery occlusion (closure of a structure).
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Hypertension - elevation of the blood pressure, especially the diastolic pressure.
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EKG Electrocardiogram - a graphic record produced by an echocardiograph. An echocardiograph is an instrument employing reflected ultrasonic waves to examine the structures and functioning of the heart.
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QRS complex - The principal deflection in the electrocardiogram, representing ventricular depolarization – ventricular contraction.
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Bradycardic - a slow heartbeat rate, usually less than 60 beats per minute.
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Tachycardic - excessively rapid heartbeat, usually more than 100 beats per minute.
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Necrosis - the death of cells, tissues or organs.
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Arteriosclerosis - degenerative changes in the arteries, characterized by thickening of the vessel walls and accumulation of calcium with consequent loss of elasticity and lessened blood flow.
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Aneurysm - a permanent cardiac or arterial dilatation usually caused by weakening of the vessel wall.
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Carcinoma - a malignant and invasive epithelial tumor that spreads by metastasis and often recurs after excision; cancer.
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Thrombus - a fibrinous clot that forms in and obstructs a blood vessel, or that forms in one of the chambers of the heart.
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Ischemia - local deficiency of blood supply produced by vasoconstriction or local obstacles to the arterial flow.
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Cardiomegaly - abnormal enlargement of the heart.
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Pericardium - the membranous sac enclosing the heart.
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Endocardium - the serous membrane that lines the cavities of the heart.
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Myocardium - the muscular substance of the heart.
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Epicardium - the inner serous layer of the pericardium, lying directly upon the heart.
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Aorta - the main trunk of the arterial system, conveying blood from the left ventricle of the heart to all of the body except the lungs.
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Pulmonary Artery - an artery conveying venous blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs.
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Pulmonary Vein -
a vein conveying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart.
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Case Study
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George, Caliope, Alaina, and Leo were long time friends from Mayfield High School. Each planned to attend college after high school and they were all interested in the medical arts. George wanted to be a heart surgeon (cardiovascular), Caliope wanted to be a nurse, Alaina wanted to be forensic pathologist and Leo wanted to be a paramedic.
Throughout their years in high school, these four friends attended many job fairs and learning symposiums about medical careers. They learned what they needed to do and how they needed to prepare themselves for these careers. Classes in basic patient care as well as Basic Medical Terminology were required. These classes would give them knowledge of body planes; coronal, sagittal, and transverse. The classes would also introduce them to the different body systems and pathological processes of the human body.
During an EMS (emergency medical services), Leo learned about the heart and its compartments; the atrium and the ventricles. Leo learned that the SN (sinotrial) and the AV (atroventricular) nodes along with the Purkinje fibers provided the electrical impulses for the heart to beat. Leo learned about MI’s (myocardial infarctions) and hypertension. The instructor explained how the Paramedics would use an EKG (Electrocardiogram) monitor to evaluate the heart rhythms. These heart rhythms are broken into pieces called the P-wave, the QRS complex and the T-wave, which demonstrate whether the patient is in normal sinus, bradycardic, or tachycardic rhythm.
Alaina and Caliope attended seminars on forensic sciences and nursing careers. They found a wide range of possibilities for Caliope in the nursing field. Caliope could be a surgical nurse, a cardiovascular nurse, a pediatric nurse, or a dialysis nurse. They learned about cell and tissue necrosis, arteriosclerosis, aneurysms that cause sudden death when they rupture. Carcinoma, thrombus, ischemia, and cardiomegaly all can be treated by nurses and investigated by a forensic pathologist. The girls found quite a bit of overlapping information in their seminars.
George attended many career fairs with Leo and they too shared much the same information. Cardiovascular surgeons deal with fixing the heart and the great vessels and a paramedic fights to keep them working. George and Leo learned about the pericardium and the three layers of the heart muscle; the endocardium, the myocardium, and the epicardium. They learned about the major vessels, the aorta and the pulmonary veins and arteries, which create a pathway for blood to flow to and from the heart.
George, Caliope, Alaina, and Leo are spread across the world pursuing their chosen careers and stay in touch via Skype and email. They are very successful and happy with their professional lives and they get together as often as possible to share stories of their work. Many of these” get- togethers” end with their reminiscences of their high school days and how they got started in the medical profession.
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