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Information and advice on heart conditions & stroke disease, everything from prevention to illness for your wellbeing.
Read our glossary of related words with definitions by clicking on the alphabet below.
Heart Index - C
Calcium channel blockers
Compounds that block the effect of calcium on muscle fibre cells. They relax the muscles in the heart and blood vessels, thereby reducing blood pressure and heart rate. They are used in the treatment of high blood pressure, spasms of the coronary arteries, and angina caused by coronary heart disease.
Carotid arteries
The two arteries carrying blood from the heart to the head and neck.
Coronary arteries
The two arteries (left and right) branching from the aorta and supplying blood to the heart.
Cardiomyopathy
A generic term for heart muscle disease. The most common form is dilated cardiomyopathy, where the heart muscle is weakened, causing left ventricular dilation.
Catheter
A long, thin and flexible tube that is inserted into a blood vessel in the arm or groin and threaded through to the heart.
Creatinine kinase
An enzyme of contractile muscle cells found in the bloodstream after a heart attack.
