cardio-, cardi-, card-

1. A congenital absence of a heart, sometimes occurring in the smaller member of conjoined twins when its partner monopolizes the placental blood supply: As indicated in this definition, some congenital twins have just one heart for both bodies; that is, one has a heart and the other one is acardia.

The veterinarian found out that the calf was born as an acardia and so it had no chance of even being born alive.

2. Having no heart: It hardly seems very romantic to describe Jane's ex-boyfriend as having acardia.

1. A reference to being without a heart; as, an acardiac fetus.
2. Relating to the congenital absence of the heart.

The degeneration of the myocardium or the wasting away of the muscles of the heart.

A parasitic twin without a heart; therefore, using the heart and the blood circulation of its twin.

1. A condition in which the foramen ovale of the heart fails to close.
2. An opening in the oval foramen of the heart.
3. A reference to the patency (opening) of the foramen (small opening) ovale of the heart.

In the fetal heart, the foramen ovale allows blood to enter the left atrium from the right atrium.

An occurrence during a time when circulation to a region of the heart is obstructed and necrosis (death of tissue cells) is occurring: Known as a heart attack, acute myocardial infarction is the sudden death of part of the heart muscle which is characterized, in most such conditions, by severe and unremitting chest pain.

Men are more likely to suffer acute myocardial infarctions attacks than women, smokers more than nonsmokers, and the children of those who have died of a heart attack are more likely to die from the same cause.

1. An X-ray examination of the thoracic vessels and the heart after the intravenous injection of a substance opaque to X-rays.
2. The film produced by angiocardiography.

1. X-ray imaging of the heart and great vessels made visible by injection of a radiopaque solution.
2. Angiography of the heart and great vessels; contrast material may be injected into a blood vessel or one of the cardiac chambers.

Images obtained can be analyzed to determine parameters of ventricular function, including ventricular ejection fractions, cardiac output, ejection rates, stroke volume, end-diastolic volume, and end-systolic volume, as well as to test the effects of exercise.

1. Affecting the motions or movements of the heart and blood vessels.
2. Any agent that affects the movements of the heart and vessels.

A disease affecting both the heart and blood vessels: Mrs. Williams had a serious case of angiocardiopathy and had to stay in hospital for a very long time.

Inflammation of the heart and great blood vessels.

Relating to the blood vessels and the cardiac muscle.

A cardiac lymphatic ring which is a chain of lymph nodes (paracardial lymph nodes) around the cardiac opening of the stomach.