DEFINITIONS

Aorta Largest artery in the body from left ventricle of the heart extending down the abdomen where it branches off into 2 smaller arteries.

Atherosclerosis A build up of deposits containing cholesterol in the inner lining of the heart’s arteries. (Sclerosis means general thickening and hardening). It is the result of a complex interaction between ‘bad’ cholesterol, platelets, calcium and inflammatory cells.

Blood pressure The force your blood exerts the walls of your arteries as it moves through the circulatory system. It varies from each heart beat and from beat to beat. The systolic pressure is the force as your heart beats or contracts to pump out blood. The diastolic pressure is where your heart releases between beats and fills with blood. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

Brachial artery Major blood vessel of the upper arm, traditional site for the measurement of blood pressure.

CASP “Central aortic systolic pressure” represents the load imposed on the coronary and cerebral arteries which is more strongly related to vascular hypertrophy, extend of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events than brachial pressure.

Cholesterol A waxy, fat-like substance present in cell walls or membranes everywhere in the body, including the heart.

Diastolic blood pressure phase Atria and ventricles are relaxed.

Endothelium The smooth inner lining of many body structures including the heart and blood vessels. Endothelial cells are a primary component of the intima.

Heart attack The death of a portion of heart muscle resulting when an obstruction in one of the coronary arteries prevents an adequate oxygen supply to that muscle.

Hypertension High blood pressure. The systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. It is the opposite of hypotension.

Myocardial Infarcation heart attack. Interruption of blood supply to part of the heart causing heart cells to die.

Plaque is made up of not only of fatty substances including LDL (bad) cholesterol but also waste products from cells and a blood-clotting material called fibre.

Pulse pressure Measures arterial stiffness as it reflects the pulsatile component of blood pressure.

Pulse wave The sum of the forward waveform and a backward travelling one that is the “echo” or the “reflective” of the incident wave reflected at peripheral sites. The arterial pulse wave reflects the status of the arterial tree and the pump of the heart.

Radial artery Main blood vessel with oxygenated blood of the forearm.

Stroke Rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in blood supply to the brain.

Systolic blood pressure phase Ventricles contract and pump blood into the arteries.