Medical Terminology Simplified

5–17 Flutter is an a/rrhythm/ia in which there is very rapid but regular rhythm

(250 to 300 beats per minute) of the atria or ventricles. The heart chambers do not

have time to completely fill with blood before the next contraction. Flutter can

progress to fibrillation.

When the flutter occurs in the atrium, it is called an atri/al flutter.When the flutter

occurs in the ventricle, it is called a ____________________ / __________flutter.

5–18 Flutter that progresses to fibrillation (a/rrhythm/ia in which there is a rapid,

uncoordinated quivering of the my/o/cardi/um) can affect the atria or the ventricles.

Write the term that means

without rhythm:_____ / ____________________ / __________

muscular layer of the heart:

__________ / _____ / ____________________ / __________

5–19 Write the abbreviations for the two lower chambers of the heart:

right ventricle:__________

left ventricle:__________

5–20 The rule for forming plural words from singular words that end in -umis to

drop -umand add -a.Practice modifying the singular terms below to their plural

forms.

Singular Plural

atrium ____________________

cardium ____________________

septum ____________________

bacterium ____________________

5–21 A wall or partition dividing a body space or cavity is known as a septum

(plural, septa). Some septa are membranous; others are composed of bone or carti-

lage. Each is named according to its location in the body. In the heart, there are

several septa, one of which is the interventricular septum (IVS), the partition that

divides the LV from the RV. Label the (5) interventricular septum (IVS)in

Figure 5–3.

5–22 The ventricles are separated by a thick muscular IVS, whereas the atria are

separated by a thinner muscular interatrial septum (IAS).

The abbreviation of the septum situated between the

ventricles is: __________

atria is: __________

Boldfaceindicates a word root or combining form. Blueindicates a suffix. Pinkindicates a prefix.

164 CHAPTER 5• Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems

ventricul/ar

vĕn-TRĬK-ū-lăr

a/rrhythm/ia

ă-RĬTH-mē-ă

my/o/cardi/um

mī-ō-KĂR-dē-ŭm

atria

Ā-trē-ă

cardia

KĂR-dē-ă

septa

SĔP-tă

bacteria

băk-TĒ-rē-ă

RV

LV

IVS

IAS