Cardiology Vocabulary in English — 20 Essential Terms
20 key cardiology words with definitions and example sentences — arteries, ventricles, arrhythmia, and more for B1–C1 ESL learners and medical students.
Pedagogically reviewed by LexFizz Team
Cardiology is the branch of medicine that deals with diseases and disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. As cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, the vocabulary of this field appears frequently in medical journalism, healthcare consultations, patient information leaflets, and academic study — making it essential for any ESL learner working in or around healthcare. For precise definitions of these terms, see the Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. Picture a cardiologist reviewing an electrocardiogram after a patient reports palpitations, and explaining that a stent may be recommended if a narrowed artery is found.
The 20 terms on this page cover the key anatomical structures of the heart and circulatory system — including ventricle, artery, and aorta — as well as the most important clinical conditions such as arrhythmia, hypertension, and myocardial infarction. You will also find vocabulary for diagnostic procedures, including electrocardiogram and echocardiogram, and for the interventions cardiologists use, such as stent and angioplasty.
For related medical vocabulary, visit our Medicine vocabulary, Anatomy vocabulary, and Pharmacology vocabulary pages, which will give you broader language for discussing health and the human body in English.
Word List
| Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| artery | a blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to the rest of the body; arteries have thick, muscular walls to withstand the pressure of blood being pumped from the heart | The surgeon found a blockage in the patient's coronary artery, which was restricting blood flow to the heart muscle. |
| ventricle | one of the two lower chambers of the heart (left and right) responsible for pumping blood out of the heart; the left ventricle pumps blood to the body, the right pumps it to the lungs | An echocardiogram showed that the left ventricle was not contracting as efficiently as it should, suggesting early heart failure. |
| arrhythmia | an irregular heartbeat — the heart beats too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm; arrhythmias range from harmless to life-threatening | The patient was fitted with a heart monitor to record any episodes of arrhythmia throughout the day and night. |
| hypertension | persistently high blood pressure, defined as a reading consistently above 140/90 mmHg; a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease | The doctor explained that hypertension is often called a “silent killer” because it rarely causes symptoms until serious damage has already occurred. |
| myocardial infarction | the medical term for a heart attack; it occurs when blood supply to part of the heart muscle (myocardium) is blocked, causing cells to die due to lack of oxygen | Paramedics administered aspirin immediately after the patient reported chest pain, to reduce clotting and limit the damage from the suspected myocardial infarction. |
| electrocardiogram | a test, commonly abbreviated to ECG or EKG, that records the electrical activity of the heart over time using electrodes placed on the skin; used to detect arrhythmias, heart attacks, and other conditions | The nurse attached twelve electrodes to the patient's chest and limbs to record a twelve-lead electrocardiogram. |
| echocardiogram | an ultrasound scan of the heart that produces real-time images of its structure and function, allowing doctors to assess the chambers, valves, and pumping efficiency | The echocardiogram revealed that one of the heart valves was leaking, causing blood to flow backwards rather than in the correct direction. |
| aorta | the largest artery in the body, arising directly from the left ventricle of the heart and distributing oxygenated blood to all other arteries via the circulatory system | The surgeon repaired the tear in the aorta using a synthetic graft, a procedure that required the patient to be placed on a heart-lung bypass machine. |
| atherosclerosis | a condition in which fatty deposits called plaques build up inside artery walls, causing them to narrow and harden, which restricts blood flow and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke | Years of smoking and a high-fat diet had accelerated the patient's atherosclerosis, leaving several coronary arteries significantly narrowed. |
| stent | a small, mesh-like tube inserted into a narrowed or blocked artery to hold it open and restore blood flow; usually made of metal and placed during an angioplasty procedure | After the angioplasty, the cardiologist inserted a drug-eluting stent to keep the artery open and reduce the risk of it narrowing again. |
| angioplasty | a minimally invasive procedure used to widen a narrowed or blocked coronary artery, usually by inserting a catheter with a small balloon at the tip and inflating it at the site of the blockage | The patient recovered quickly from the angioplasty and was discharged from hospital within 48 hours of the procedure. |
| palpitation | an awareness of an abnormal heartbeat, often described as a fluttering, pounding, or racing sensation in the chest; can be harmless or a sign of arrhythmia | She had been experiencing palpitations for several weeks before her GP referred her to a cardiologist for further investigation. |
| cardiac arrest | the sudden cessation of the heart's pumping activity, resulting in loss of consciousness and, if not treated within minutes, death; different from a heart attack, which involves blocked blood flow | A bystander began CPR immediately after witnessing the cardiac arrest, keeping the patient alive until the ambulance arrived six minutes later. |
| cholesterol | a fatty substance present in blood and body tissues; while essential for cell function, elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are a major risk factor for atherosclerosis and heart disease | The blood test showed that his total cholesterol was 6.8 mmol/L, significantly above the recommended level, so the doctor prescribed a statin. |
| defibrillator | a device that delivers a controlled electric shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm in cases of certain life-threatening arrhythmias such as ventricular fibrillation | The school installed a publicly accessible defibrillator in the reception area following first-aid training that taught staff how to use one. |
| atrium | one of the two upper chambers of the heart (left and right) that receive blood returning to the heart and pass it down into the ventricles; the plural is atria | In atrial fibrillation, the atria beat chaotically and out of sync with the ventricles, greatly increasing the risk of stroke. |
| angina | chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, typically triggered by physical exertion or stress and relieved by rest or medication; a warning sign of coronary artery disease | He was prescribed glyceryl trinitrate spray to use whenever angina pain came on, as it works quickly by widening the coronary arteries. |
| valve | one of the four structures in the heart (aortic, mitral, pulmonary, and tricuspid) that open and close to ensure blood flows in one direction through the chambers and into the major vessels | The patient required open-heart surgery to replace a severely diseased mitral valve with a mechanical prosthetic valve. |
| catheterisation | a diagnostic or interventional procedure in which a thin, flexible tube called a catheter is threaded through a blood vessel to the heart, allowing doctors to measure pressures, take samples, or deliver treatments | Cardiac catheterisation confirmed that two coronary arteries were blocked and that bypass surgery would be the most appropriate treatment. |
| cardiomyopathy | a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively; it may be inherited or caused by other conditions such as viral infection, alcohol abuse, or high blood pressure | The young athlete was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest?
A heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when a blockage in a coronary artery cuts off blood supply to part of the heart muscle, which then begins to die. The person usually remains conscious and may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, and sweating. A cardiac arrest, by contrast, is the sudden stopping of the heart's pumping action altogether, causing the person to collapse, lose consciousness, and stop breathing normally. A heart attack can trigger a cardiac arrest, but they are different events requiring different immediate responses: CPR and a defibrillator for cardiac arrest, aspirin and emergency medical care for a heart attack.
What is the difference between an artery and a vein?
Arteries carry blood away from the heart. In almost all cases this is oxygenated blood (the exception is the pulmonary artery, which carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs). Arteries have thick, muscular, elastic walls to withstand the high pressure generated by the heart's pumping. Veins carry blood back towards the heart and typically carry deoxygenated blood (except the pulmonary veins). Veins have thinner walls and contain valves that prevent blood flowing backwards. When blood is travelling through capillaries — the tiny vessels connecting arteries and veins — it exchanges oxygen and nutrients with the body's tissues.
What does an electrocardiogram (ECG) measure?
An electrocardiogram records the electrical impulses that travel through the heart to make it contract. Each heartbeat is triggered by an electrical signal that spreads from the upper chambers (atria) to the lower chambers (ventricles) in a coordinated sequence. The ECG captures this activity as a wave pattern on a graph. Doctors can read the pattern to identify the heart rate and rhythm, detect arrhythmias, identify areas of the heart that have been damaged by a heart attack, and assess the overall electrical health of the heart. It is a quick, painless, and non-invasive test.
What is atherosclerosis and what causes it?
Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty plaques inside artery walls, causing them to narrow and harden over time. It develops gradually and is driven by a combination of risk factors: high levels of LDL cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, and a diet high in saturated fat and sugar. As the plaques grow, they reduce blood flow and can rupture, triggering a blood clot that may completely block an artery — causing a heart attack or stroke. Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of the majority of cardiovascular events worldwide.
What is hypertension and why is it dangerous?
Hypertension means persistently high blood pressure — the force that blood exerts against artery walls. Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and expressed as two numbers: systolic (the pressure when the heart beats) over diastolic (the pressure when it rests). Normal is around 120/80; hypertension is diagnosed when readings consistently exceed 140/90. Over time, high blood pressure damages artery walls, accelerates atherosclerosis, strains the heart, and damages the kidneys and eyes. Because it usually causes no obvious symptoms, many people are unaware they have it, which is why it is often described as a “silent killer”.
What is angina and how is it treated?
Angina is chest pain or pressure caused by reduced blood supply to the heart muscle, usually because coronary arteries are narrowed by atherosclerosis. It typically comes on during physical exertion or emotional stress, when the heart needs more oxygen, and is relieved by rest. Stable angina is managed with medication — most commonly nitrates such as glyceryl trinitrate, which dilate the coronary arteries — along with drugs to control blood pressure and cholesterol. In more severe cases, angioplasty with a stent or bypass surgery may be needed to restore adequate blood flow to the heart.
What is an echocardiogram and when is it used?
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound scan of the heart that uses high-frequency sound waves to create real-time images of the heart's chambers, walls, and valves, and to measure how efficiently the heart is pumping. It is used to diagnose and monitor a wide range of conditions, including heart failure, valve disease, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart defects, and pericardial disease. Unlike an ECG, which shows electrical activity, an echocardiogram shows the actual structure and movement of the heart. It is painless, non-invasive, and does not use radiation.
What is the role of cholesterol in heart disease?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that the liver produces and that we also obtain from food. It travels in the blood in different forms: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often called “bad” cholesterol, deposits fatty material in artery walls and promotes atherosclerosis; high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, carries cholesterol away from the arteries to the liver for disposal. When LDL levels are too high, the risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke increases significantly. Diet, exercise, and medications called statins are the main tools for managing cholesterol levels.
What is a stent and how does it work?
A stent is a small, expandable mesh tube that is permanently placed inside a narrowed or blocked coronary artery to hold it open and restore blood flow. It is usually inserted during an angioplasty: a catheter with a deflated balloon is threaded to the site of the blockage, the balloon is inflated to widen the artery, and the stent is expanded to keep the artery open after the balloon is removed. Modern drug-eluting stents are coated with medication that is slowly released to prevent scar tissue from re-narrowing the vessel, a complication known as restenosis.
What is the best way to learn cardiology vocabulary in English?
Medical vocabulary is best learned in context. Reading patient information leaflets, cardiology textbook chapters, or health journalism articles will help you see the words in authentic sentences and understand how they relate to one another. Flashcard apps work well for memorising definitions of technical terms, and labelling diagrams of the heart using the vocabulary on this page is particularly effective for anatomical terms such as ventricle, atrium, and aorta. Practise with Flash Cards on LexFizz and then test yourself with the Matching Pairs exercise. Regular review over several days is the key to retaining specialist vocabulary.