Glossary

Abdomen: The part of the body that lies between the chest and waist.

Aorta: The major blood vessel leaving the left ventricle. The vessel passes blood to arteries throughout your body.

Apex: Blunt rounded end of the heart, directed downward, forward, and to the left.

Artery: Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart to the various parts of the body.

Atrium: An upper chamber of the heart. Right atrium receives unoxygenated blood from the body. Left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs.

Cardiac Cycle: One total heartbeat, one complete contraction and relaxation of the heart.

Cardiovascular: Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels

Centrifugal Pump Technology: As blood is drawn into the pump, a paddlewheel like component (impeller) forces the blood toward the outside walls and expels it through an opening.

Congestive Heart Failure: A condition in which the heart has difficulty pumping enough blood. Symptoms can include weakness, shortness of breath and swelling of the legs.

Dilated: To become wider, larger; expand.

Dyspnea: Difficult or labored breathing.

Impeller: A propulsion device that draws liquid in and forces it through an opening.

Left Atrium: Receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and passes it to the left ventricle.

Left Ventricle: Receives blood from the left atrium and pumps it through the aorta to circulate throughout the body.

Left Ventricular Assist System: A class of medical devices that helps the left side of the heart pump oxygen-rich blood through the body. Also called a Left Ventricular Assist Device.

LVAD: Acronym for Left Ventricular Assist Device. Same as Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAS).

LVAS: Acronym for Left Ventricular Assist System. A device designed to help the left side of the heart to pump blood to the body.

Magnetic Levitation: Through electromagnetics and position sensors, the impeller is suspended within the blood chamber.

Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS): A type of treatment used for end-stage heart failure patients. As the population continues to age and heart failure rates continue to grow, MCS is becoming a more frequent alternative for patients.

Occlusion: Venous or arterial occlusion is a state of being closed or shut

Percutaneous: Passed through the skin

Pulmonary Artery: Receives blood from the right ventricle and carries it to the lungs to be “refueled” with oxygen.

Right Atrium: Receives oxygen-poor blood from the body and passes it to the right ventricle.

Right Ventricle: Receives blood from the right atrium and pumps it through the pulmonary artery to the lungs to pick up oxygen.

Thromboembolism: Occurs when a blood clot forms and then breaks off and travels to another part of the body via the bloodstream.

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