Cardiovascular Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels. Any disease of the heart muscle that leads to generalized deterioration of the muscle and its pumping ability. Cells The very small basic units of living things. Cerebrovascular Pertaining to the blood vessels of the brain. Cholesterol An oily substance that occurs naturally in the body, in animal fats and in dairy products, and that is transported in the blood.
Limited quantities are essential to the normal development of cell membranes.
Collateral circulation Blood flow through small, nearby vessels in response to blockage of a main blood vessel. A surgical procedure to loosen the stenotic valve, increasing the size of the valve's opening. Conductive System A specialized group of heart cells that electrically stimulate the heart to cause it to beat. An abnormal formation of the heart at birth. Heart Failure A condition in which the heart cannot pump all the blood returning to it, leading to a lack of blood vessels and accumulation of fluid in body tissues, including the lungs.