This section will describe common word components related to the cardiovascular system. These word components help build definitions for many medical terms. Other common prefixes are described in Chapter 1.3, and common suffixes are described in Chapter 1.5.

Common Prefixes Related to the Cardiovascular System

• a-: Absence of, without
• bi-: Two
• brady-: Slow
• dys-: Bad, abnormal, painful, difficult
• endo-: Within, in
• epi-: On, upon, over
• hyper-: Above, excessive
• hypo-: Below, deficient
• inter-: Between
• pan-: All, total
• peri-: Surrounding, around
• poly-: Excessive, over, many
• tachy-: Fast, rapid
• tri-: Three

Common Word Roots With a Combining Vowel Related to the Cardiovascular System

• angi/o: Vessel
• aort/o: Aorta
• arteri/o: Artery
• ather/o: Yellowish, fatty plaque
• atri/o: Atrium
• card/i or cardi/o: Heart
• coron/o: Heart, crown, or circle
• ech/o: Sound
• electr/o: Electricity
• isch/o: Deficiency, blockage
• my/o or myos/o: Muscle
• plasm/o: Plasma
• symptomat/o: Symptom
• thromb/o: Clot
• valv/o or valvul/o: Valve
• vas/o: Vessel
• ven/o: Vein
• ventricul/o: Ventricle

Common Suffixes Related to the Cardiovascular System

• -ac: Pertaining to
• -ade: Process of
• -al: Pertaining to
• -apheresis: Removal
• -ar: Pertaining to
• -centesis: Surgical puncture to aspirate fluid
• -dynia: Pain
• -ectomy: Excision, surgical removal
• -emia: Condition of blood
• -genic: Producing, originating, causing
• -gram: Record, radiographic image
• -graph: Instrument used to record
• -graphy: Process of recording, radiographic imaging
• -ia: Condition of, diseased state, abnormal state
• -ic: Pertaining to
• -ion: Process
• -itis: Inflammation
• -lgia: Pain
• -logist: Specialist who studies and treats
• -lysis: Loosening, dissolution, separating
• -megaly: Enlarged, enlargement
• -oma: Tumor
• -osis: Abnormal condition
• -ous: Pertaining to
• -pathy: Disease
• -penia: Abnormal reduction in number
• -pexy: Surgical fixation, suspension
• -plasty: Surgical repair
• -poiesis: Formation
• -sclerosis: Hardening
• -scope: Instrument used to view
• -scopy: Process of viewing
• -stasis: Stop, stopping, controlling
• -stenosis: Narrowing, constriction
• -tomy: Cut into, incision