Glossary for Atrial Fibrillation

• Amphetamines - Teratogenic Agent: There is strong evidence to indicate that the use of Amphetamines during pregnancy may cause a teratogenic effect on the fetus. A teratogen is a substance that can cause birth defects. The likelihood and severity of defects may be affected by the level of exposure and the stage of pregnancy that the exposure occurred at.
• Aortic Valve Insufficiency: A heart valve disorder where the heart valve is unable to close completely which causes a backflow of some of the blood from the aorta. The condition can be caused by such things as systemic lupus erythematosus, endocarditis, high blood pressure, Marfan's syndrome and aortic dissection.
• Arrhythmias: Irregularity in the heart's beating rhythm.
• Atrial Fibrillation: Common heart arrythmia with rapid beating in upper chambers
• Atrial cardiomyopathy with heart block: Atrial heart disease involving a disruption of the electrical signals in the heart and causes heart rhythm problems.
• Atrial flutter: Heart arrhythmia where atria beat more often than ventricles
• Bronchogenic carcinoma: When cells of the lung start growing rapidly in an uncontrolled manner, the condition is called lung cancer .
• Cardiac malformation: Any malformation or structural defect of the heart or it's structures. Some examples include atrioventricular septal defect, conotruncal malformations, transposition of great vessels and heart valve dysplasia. The symptoms vary in nature and severity depending on the type of malformation.
• Cardiac valvular dysplasia, X-linked: An inherited (X-linked) form of heart disease involving mitral or aortic valve regurgitation. Females are carriers and hence asymptomatic whereas males displayed symptoms.
• Cardiomyopathy: Any disease of the heart muscle
• Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic: A weakened heart mucle due to excessive alcohol consumption. Symptoms are usually not evident until the heart becomes severely damaged.
• Cerebrovascular accident: Occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted and results in cell injury and death.
• Chest pain: Pain in the chest area.
• Chronic constrictive pericarditis:
• Cocaine - Teratogenic Agent: There is evidence to indicate that exposure to Cocaine during pregnancy may have a teratogenic effect on the fetus. A teratogen is a substance that can cause birth defects. The likelihood and severity of defects may be affected by the level of exposure and the stage of pregnancy that the exposure occurred at.
• Congenital heart defects: Heart defects that a baby is born with.
• Coronary heart disease: Disease affecting the heart's arteries (narrowed arteries)
• Cyclosporine toxicity: The toxic reaction of the body to the substance, possibly via allergic reaction or overdose.
• Death: The cessation of life
• Dehydration: Loss of fluids in the body
• Diabetes: Failing or reduced ability of the body to handle sugars.
• Eisenmenger Syndrome: Increased lung blood pressure that can result from conditions such as a hole in the wall between the two heart chambers.
• Embolism: Blockage of an artery or blood vessel
• Endocarditis: Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart
• Endomyocardial fibrosis: Heart disease characterized by progressive fibrosis of the lining of one or both lower heart cavities. This results in constriction of the heart cavity and may involve the heart valves and other structures.
• Ethanol - Teratogenic Agent: There is evidence to indicate that exposure to Ethanol during pregnancy may have a teratogenic effect on the fetus. A teratogen is a substance that can cause birth defects. The likelihood and severity of defects may be affected by the level of exposure and the stage of pregnancy that the exposure occurred at.
• Fainting: Temporary loss of conciousness or fainting.
• Foxglove poisoning: The foxglove is a herb which produces fruit in a capsule and colored, tubular flowers. The leaves, flowers and seeds of the plant contain a very toxic chemical called digitalis glycoside which can cause serious symptoms or even death if eaten. Skin irritation can occur if contact with the skin occurs. NOTE: Patients who are taking certain medications (digoxin, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers) are more susceptible to foxglove poisoning.
• Graves Disease: is an autoimmune disease characterized by hyperthyroidism due to circulating autoantibodies. Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins (TSIs) bind to and activate thyrotropin receptors, causing the thyroid gland to grow and the thyroid follicles to increase synthesis of thyroid hormone.
• Heart attack: Serious and often fatal acute heart condition
• Heart conditions: Any condition that affects the heart
• Heart disease: Any of various heart conditions.
• Heart failure: Slow failure of the heart (cardiac insufficiency).
• Heart injury: An injury to the heart
• Heart symptoms: Symptoms affecting the heart
• Heart valve diseases: Diseases that affect the valves of the heart
• Heart valve disorder:
• Herbal Agent overdose - Peppermint Oil: Peppermint Oil can be used as an antispasmodic (to treat nausea, dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome) and as an antibacterial. The herbal agent contains various chemicals (menthol, menthone, methyl acetate) which can cause symptoms if excessive quantities are taken.
• Herbal Agent overdose - Wormwood: Wormwood can be used to treat worm infestations and as a sedative or hair tonic. The herbal agent contains chemicals which can cause various symptoms if excessive quantities are taken.
• Hereditary Hemochromatosis: A genetic disorder where too much iron is absorbed from food and it is stored in various parts of the body which can cause damage. There are 4 types of hemochromatosis and they are distinguished by age of onset, genetic cause and type of inheritance. Some sufferers may be asymptomatic.
• High T4 syndrome: A disorder involving transient increases in thyroxine levels for no apparent reason.
• Hypertension: High blood pressure
• Hypertensive heart disease: Heart disease that is caused by hypertension
• Hyperthyroidism: Too much thyroid hormone production.
• Hypothermia: Low body temperature
• Hypothyroidism: Too little thyroid hormone production.
• Idiopathic, hypertrophic, subaortic stenosis: A rare heart disorder where thickening of parts of the heart (wall separating the heart chambers) reduces the size of heart chambers and hinders the flow of blood.
• Irregular heartbeat: An irregular beat of a persons heart
• Ischemic heart disease: Heart disease from reduced blood flow to the heart
• Kentucky coffee tea poisoning: Kentucky coffee tea is a large, deciduous tree which bear small flowers and a flattened seed pod. The sticky, sweet substance surrounding the seeds in the seedpods contains a chemical called alkaloid cytosine which can cause symptoms if eaten. The plant is considered to have a relatively low level of toxicity.
• Lily-of-the-Valley poisoning: Lily-of-the-Valley is a plant often grown in gardens. The plant contains cardiac glycosides (convallamatian, convallarin) and saponins which can cause poisoning symptoms if eaten. Large amounts would need to be eaten to cause poisoning symptoms. Cardiovascular symptoms usually occur a few hours after gastrointestinal symptoms. The biggest danger of eating this plant is the effects on the heart which can cause serious problems in patients with underlying heart conditions.
• Mc Leod neuroacanthocytosis syndrome: A rare syndrome characterized by neuromuscular, blood and central nervous system symptoms. The disease is slowly progressive.
• Mitral regurgitation: A condition which is characterized by a regurgitation of blood from the left ventricle into the atrium due to a problem with the mitral valve
• Mitral stenosis: Narrowing of the mitral heart valve
• Mustard tree poisoning: The mustard tree is found in various parts of America and contains nicotine. Ingestion of the plant can cause various symptoms. The leaves of the plant is sometimes smoked for its effects but it can result in death.
• Myocarditis: Inflammation of the myocardium (muscle walls of the heart)
• Palpitations: The subjective sensation of the beating of the heart at a rapid or irregular rate
• Pericarditis: Inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart
• Pulmonary embolism: Blocked lung blood vessel often from a blood clot.
• Pulsus alternans: Regular alternation of weak and strong beats without changes in cycle length
• Pulsus paradoxus: An alteration of the blood pressure on inspiration
• Rapid heart beat: Excessively fast heart beat (fast pulse) called "tachycardia"
• Rheumatic fever: An inflammatory disorder that can occur as a complication of untreated streptococcal bacterial infection such as strep throat or scarlet fever. The condition may affect the brain, skin, heart and joints.
• Rheumatic heart disease: Chronic heart condition due to heart damage from rheumatic fever
• Sarcoidosis: Rare autoimmune disease usually affecting the lungs.
• Shortness of breath: The feeling of being short of breath
• Sick sinus syndrome: Heart rhythm disorder
• Sinus arrhythmia: A condition which is characterized by any abnormality in the rate, regularity or sequence of the heart
• Sinus tachycardia: A condition which is characterized by a fast heart rate
• Stroke: Serious brain event from bleeding or blood clots.
• Supraventricular Tachycardia: A rapid heart rate, the cause of which originates above the ventricles.
• Tachycardia: Excessively rapid heart beat.
• Tricuspid valve diseases: Any disease that affects the tricuspid valve
• Unstable angina: A condition which is characterized by chest pain of heart origin that occurs without stimuli
• Ventricular tachycardia: A condition which is characterized by a fast heart beat originates from the ventricles
• Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome: Heart arrhythmia causing increased heart rate

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