A
Abdominal reflex: contraction of the
muscles of the abdominal wall in
response to stimulation of the
overlying skin.
Abdominopelvic: relating to or being
the abdominal and pelvic cavities of
the body.
Abduct: to draw away (as a limb)
from a position near or parallel to the
median axis of the body
the peroneus longus extends, abducts,
and everts the foot —C. R. Bardeen.
Abience: a tendency to withdraw
from a stimulus object or situation.
Abilify: used for a preparation of
aripiprazole
Abiogenesis: the supposed
spontaneous origination of living
organisms directly from lifeless
matter — called also spontaneous
generation; compare
Abiotic: not biotic : abiological
1 2
Abuse: improper or excessive use or
treatment drug abuse long-term abuse
of tranquilizer.
Acariasis: infestation with or disease
caused by mites.
Accessory hemiazygos vein: a vein
that drains the upper left side of the
thoracic wall, descends along the left
side of the spinal column, and empties
into the azygos or hemiazygos veins
near the middle of the thorax.
Adenine: a purine base C5H5N5 that
codes hereditary information in the
genetic code in DNA and RNA.
Anal canal: the terminal section of
the rectum.
Anaphylaxis: hypersensitivity (as to
foreign proteins or drugs) resulting
from sensitization following prior
contact with the causative agent.
Anabolite: a product of an anabolic
process
B Baker cyst: A swelling in the space
Babcock test: a test for determining
the fat content of milk and milk
products.
Bacteremia: the usually transient
presence of bacteria in the blood.
Bacillus: a genus of rod-shaped gram-
positive endospore-producing usually
aerobic bacteria of the family
Bacillaceae that include many
saprophytes and some parasites.
Bacillosis: infection with bacilli.
Back pressure-arm lift method:
artificial respiration in which the
operator kneels at the head of the
prone victim, compresses the chest
manually by pressure on the back, and
then pulls up the elbows thereby
expanding the lungs
Bactericidin: a bactericidal antibody
Bacteriostat: an agent that causes
bacteriostasis
3 4
behind the knee (the popliteal space)
that is composed of a membrane-lined
sac filled with synovial fluid that has
escaped from the joint. Also known as
synovial cyst of the popliteal space.
Balloon tamponade: A procedure in
which a balloon is inflated within the
esophagus or stomach, to apply
pressure on bleeding blood vessels,
compress the vessels, and stop the
bleeding. It is used in the treatment of
bleeding veins in the esophagus
(esophageal varices) and stomach.
Also known as esophagogastric
tamponade.
Barr body: A microscopic feature of
female cells that is due to the presence
of two X chromosomes, one of which
is inactive and crumples up.
Birth control: Birth control is the use
of any practices, methods, or devices
to prevent pregnancy from occurring
in a sexually active woman.
D declarative memory: Memory for
D2 receptor: A type of dopamine
receptor (see neurotransmitter
receptors) that seems to be
particularly important in addiction.
daidzein: A substance found in
soybeans.
daily value: A guide to the amount of
nutrients in a given food; Daily values
are given in percentages based on a
2,000-calorie-per-day diet.
dandruff: A mild and common
condition that is characterized by an
itchy, flaky scalp and that may extend
to the ears, face, and chest. Also
known as seborrheic dermatitis.
de Quervain's tendonitis: Painful
swelling of the tendons at the wrist
that move the thumb.
debility: Weakness or a loss of
physical strength.
decibel: A unit of measurement for
the loudness of a sound. The highest
decibels indicate the loudest sounds.
5 6
facts or events (episodic memory);
also called explicit memory.
decoction: An herbal product or tea
made by boiling a plant in water.
decongestant: Type of medication
used to relieve nasal congestion.
deep sleep: Stage of sleep where the
brain is less responsive to outside
stimuli.
deep venous thrombosis: A
dangerous condition in which blood
clots form in veins deep in the body,
usually the legs. They may break off
and block blood flow in the lungs,
seriously damaging organs or causing
death.
defenses: Coping strategies a person
adopts to make it easier to operate in
the world.
defibrillation: The delivery of an
electric shock to the heart to stop an
abnormal rhythm and restore a normal
heartbeat.
E Eclampsia: A serious condition
Ear canal: A tube leading from the
eardrum to the outer ear.
Eardrum: A thin membrane
separating the ear canal and middle
ear.
Earwax: A substance that lubricates
the inner ear and helps protect it from
dirt, damage, and infections.
EBCT: Abbreviation for electron-
beam computed tomography, a high-
speed imaging technology use to
evaluate the heart and measure
calcium deposits in arteries.
Eccentric action: When muscles
move joints by lengthening. Also
known as cerumen.
ECG: An abbreviation for
electrocardiogram, a test that
measures the electrical activity of the
heart and detects heart problems.
echocardiography: A diagnostic tool
that uses high-frequency sound waves
(ultrasound) to make images of the
heart's size, structure and motion.
7 8
related to high blood pressure that can
threaten the life of a pregnant woman
and her fetus.
Ectopic pregnancy: Pregnancy in
which a fertilized egg implants in an
abnormal location outside the uterus,
usually in the fallopian tubes. Ending
the pregnancy is necessary.
Ectropion: When an eyelid, usually
the lower one, flips outward so that
the inner surface is exposed.
Eczema: A condition in which areas
of the skin are dry, itchy, red, and
cracked. Also known as atopic
dermatitis.
ED: Commonly used abbreviation for
erectile dysfunction, the inability to
get or maintain an erection sufficient
for intercourse.
Edema: Swelling caused by abnormal
accumulation of fluid in tissues.
EEG: Abbreviation for
electroencephalogram, a test that
measures the electrical activity of the
brain and detects problems.
F Fast-twitch fiber: One of two main
Facet joints: Paired joints that link a
vertebra to its neighboring vertebrae.
They allow the spine to move as a
unit.
Facet rhizotomy: Surgical
destruction of certain nerves and
nerve roots to relieve pain.
False negative: Test results that show
that a disease or substance isn't
present, even though it is.
Familial combined hyperlipidemia:
An inherited disorder in which the
liver overproduces very low-density
lipoprotein, causing high levels of
cholesterol or triglycerides, or both.
Familial hypercholesterolemia: An
inherited disorder in which the liver
cannot properly remove low-density
lipoprotein particles from the blood,
causing a very high cholesterol level.
Fasting plasma glucose test: A blood
test that determines the amount of
sugar (glucose) in the blood after an
overnight fast of at least eight hours.
9 10
types of skeletal muscle fibers. Fast-
twitch fibers are recruited most
heavily when bursts of power are
needed, as in sprinting. See also slow-
twitch fiber.
Fat: One of the three major nutrients,
along with carbohydrates and
proteins.
Fatigue: A lack of energy. A decrease
over time in the ability to perform a
physical or mental task.
Fatty acids: Components of fats that
can be used for energy by cells.
Fatty streak: The first stage of
atherosclerosis, a build-up of fatty
materials in the wall of a blood vessel.
Febrile: Feverish; having a high
body temperature.
Fibrillation: Rapid and
uncoordinated contractions of heart
muscle fibers. When this occurs, the
heart can't properly contract or pump
blood.
G Gastric: Relating to the stomach.
Gain: A hearing aid's power,
measured in the number of decibels
that it can add to sound.
Gait cycle: The cycle that the feet and
legs make when walking, beginning
when one heel hits the ground and
ending when the same heel hits the
ground again.
Galactogogue: A substance that
promotes breast milk production.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid: A
chemical messenger in the brain that
may help decrease anxiety and
promote slow-wave sleep. Often
referred to as GABA.
Ganglion: An abnormal but harmless
mass of tissue, usually nerve cells.
Ganglion cyst: A harmless sac of
fluid on top of a joint or tendon,
usually on the wrist or back of the
hand.
Gangrene: Death of tissue in part of
the body because blood has stopped
flowing there.
11
Gastritis: Inflammation of the lining
of the stomach.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease: A
condition in which food and acid flow
back into the esophagus from the
stomach, causing heartburn.
Gastrointestinal: Relating to all or
some of the organs of the digestive
tract, from the mouth to the anus.
Gastrointestinal tract: The digestive
tract.
Gene: Structures on chromosomes
that are passed from parent to child.
The basic unit of material that passes
traits from parent to child.
Gene therapy: Correction of a
genetic defect by replacing an
abnormal gene with a normal gene.
Generic drug: A copy of a brand-
name drug whose patent has expired.
These drugs are less expensive than
brand-name drugs.
12
H Harm reduction therapy: A
Hair bulb: The root of the hair shaft.
Hair cells: Cells in the ear that
transmit sound messages to the brain
and play a vital role in hearing.
Hair cells: Cells in the ear that
transmit sound messages to the brain
and play a vital role in hearing.
Hallucination: A perception of
something that is not really there.
Hammertoe: A sometimes painful
condition in which the toe curls up
and under (resembling a hammer).
Happiness: Feelings of contentment
or joy; the overall experience of
pleasure and meaning in life.
Happiness set-point: An individual's
baseline level of happiness,
determined largely by genetics,
around which moods fluctuate. After
reacting to positive or negative life
changes, people tend to return to their
happiness set-points.
13
treatment strategy aimed at
minimizing the harm associated with
an object of addiction. This strategic
approach helps people learn how to
limit the degree to which they use
their object of addiction, or limit the
risks associated with their use, but
they do not necessarily stop
altogether.
Hashimoto's thyroiditis: A disease
in which the body's immune system
prevents the thyroid gland from
producing enough thyroid hormone.
Hay fever: A commonly used term
for allergic rhinitis—seasonal or year-
round allergic condition marked by
sneezing, runny nose, and congestion.
The most common type of allergy, it
is caused by an IgE-mediated immune
response to inhaled airborne allergens.
Hearing aid: An electronic device
worn in or behind the ear by people
with hearing problems that makes
sounds louder.
14
I Ileum: The final section of the small
Iatrogenic: Complications or poor
effects caused by medical treatment.
IBD: Abbreviation for inflammatory
bowel disease, a general term for two
disorders—ulcerative colitis and
Crohn's disease—that cause the
intestines to become swollen and
inflamed.
ICD: Abbreviation for implantable
cardioverter defibrillator, a device
implanted in the chest and connected
to the heart that delivers a shock to
stop a potentially deadly rhythm and
restore a normal (sinus) rhythm.
Ice pick headache: Stabbing, very
intense headaches that come on
suddenly and are very brief.
Idiopathic: A condition or disease of
unknown origin.
IgE: Abbreviation for
immunoglobulin E, the substance
responsible for most allergic
reactions.
15
intestine.
Iliopsoas muscles: Two muscles,
running from the end of the spine to
the thighbone, that are responsible for
lifting the knee.
Immediate hypersensitivity: A
category of allergic reaction, triggered
by specific allergens and involving
IgE. The majority of allergic reactions
to pollens, pets, dust, mold, food, and
insect venom are of this type.
Immobilize: To restrict the
movement of a limb or other part of
the body to help in healing.
Immunity: The body's ability to
resist infection and disease.
Immunization: Injection of harmless
bacteria or viruses to spur the body to
produce antibodies so it can resist a
particular disease.
16
K Keshan disease: Heart disease caused
Kegel: An exercise that helps prevent
and treat incontinence by
strengthening pelvic floor muscles.
Keloid: An unusually hard or thick
scar that forms after surgery or an
injury.
Keratectomy: A procedure in which
a laser is used to correct vision
problems by reshaping the cornea.
Keratin: A protein and the major
component of the cuticle and cortex
layers of hair; the same protein is
found in nails, feathers, claws, and
hooves.
by a lack of selenium, an element that
the body needs to function properly.
Ketones: Substances produced when
the body burns fat for energy or when
the body doesn't have enough insulin.
Kidney failure: The final stage of
chronic kidney disease. At this point,
the kidneys can no longer eliminate
waste products from the body.
Kyphoplasty: A surgical procedure
that eases or eliminates the pain of
spinal fractures. It also restores
vertebrae that have collapsed due to
fractures to their normal size.

Keratinocytes: Cells of the epidermis

that produce a tough protein called
keratin and form a soft, protective
sheet for the body.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca:
Persistent dryness of the eye.

Keratoderma blennorrhagica: A
skin rash that sometimes occurs along
with an autoimmune condition called
Reiter's syndrome.

17 18
L Lacunar stroke: A small ischemic
Labile hypertension: Blood pressure
that frequently fluctuates between
normal and abnormal during the
course of a day, often within only a
few minutes.
Labyrinth: The inner ear. It contains
the cochlea, which is responsible for
hearing, as well as structures that are
needed for balance.
Laceration: A tear in the skin.
Lacrimal gland: The gland that
produces tears.
Lactase: An enzyme that breaks
down milk sugar (lactose) in the body.
Lactic acidosis: A rare but potentially
lethal condition in which blood lactic
acid levels increase.
Lactose: A sugar found in milk and
dairy products.
Lactose intolerance: The inability of
the body to easily digest lactose, a
sugar found in milk and dairy
products.
19
stroke caused by the blockage of one
of the smaller blood vessels in the
brain; the most common effect is
weakness or disability on one side of
the body.
Lamellar bone: Hard, dense tissue
that forms the outer shell of bones.
Also called compact bone.
Lamina: One of the two thin, plate-
like parts of each vertebra.
Laminectomy: An operation in
which all or part of one or both
laminae is removed.
Langerhans cells: Cells of the
immune system that work in the skin
to fight infection.
Lanugo: Fine, soft hair that grows all
over the body of a fetus and is
typically shed before birth.
Laparoscopy: A surgical procedure
carried out with tiny instruments
inserted through small openings in the
skin.
20
M Magenblase syndrome: Swallowing
too much air during a meal, causing
excessive gas and discomfort. Also
Macrocytic anemia: The presence of
known as stomach bubble syndrome.
larger-than-normal red blood cells in
circulation—even though there are
Magnetic resonance imaging: A
too few of them—caused by lack of
scan that creates detailed pictures of
folate and vitamin B12.
internal organs; commonly referred to
as MRI. Magnetic resonance imaging
Macronutrients: Substances that
uses radio waves, a strong magnetic
provide energy and that the body
field, and a computer to produce
needs for growth. The main categories
images of organs and internal tissues.
are: fat, carbohydrate, and protein.

Maintenance of wakefulness test: A

Macrophage: A type of white blood
test to measure sleepiness during the
cell that destroys cell debris, bacteria,
day. A tester measures how long it
and foreign agents.
takes a person who is sitting up in a
chair or bed to fall asleep after he or
Macula: The area in the center of the
she has been asked to stay awake.
retina that produces sharp, clear
central vision and allows one to see
Major depression: Depression that
fine detail.
interferes with daily life for an
extended period. Episodes of major
Macular degeneration: An eye
depression during bereavement can be
disease that slowly destroys sharp,
distinguished from normal sadness by
clear central vision.
such symptoms as persistent feelings
of worthlessness, thoughts about
Macular edema: The build-up of
death, feelings of guilt, persistent
fluid in the macula caused by fluid
trouble functioning, and marked
leaking from blood vessels in the eye.
mental and physical sluggishness.
It can blur and damage vision.

21
22
N Necrosis: The premature death of
Nanograms per milliliter: A small
quantity of a substance; equivalent to
one-billionth of a gram (454 grams
make 1 pound) in one-thousandth of a
liter (1 liter is approximately 1 quart).
Abbreviated as ng/ml.
Narcolepsy: A sleep disorder that
causes extreme sleepiness and
uncontrollable sleep attacks, making a
person fall asleep at inappropriate
times during the day.
Nasolabial folds: Lines in the skin
leading from the nose to the outer
corners of the mouth. Also known as
smile or laugh lines.
Natural killer cells: A type of white
blood cell of the immune system.
These cells destroy other cells that fail
to display the right chemical flags
signaling that they are normal cells.
Natural recoverers: People who
overcome addiction without treatment
or formal self-help programs.
Nebulizer: A device that converts a
liquid medicine into a mist that can be
breathed in.
23
living cells or tissues.
Needle biopsy: Use of a hollow
needle to remove a small sample of
tissue for examination.
Neoadjuvant therapy: A helper
treatment given before a primary
treatment is started, such as when
chemotherapy is done before surgery
in order to shrink a tumor.
Neonatal: Relating to an infant
younger than 4 weeks of age.
Neoplasm: An abnormal growth of
tissue, either cancerous or benign.
Nephritis: Inflammation of the
kidneys.
Nephropathy: Kidney disease.
Nerve block: Injection of a
medication into one or more nerves to
relieve pain.
Neuralgia: A burning or stabbing
pain that follows the path of a nerve.
24
O
Obesity: A body weight that is much
higher than is healthy. Defined as
having a body mass index of 30 or
more. Obesity puts a person at greater
risk of developing numerous chronic
diseases.
Object Of Addiction: The
psychoactive drug or rewarding
behavior with which a person with
addiction has a pathological
relationship.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A
disorder marked by heavy snoring and
interrupted breathing during sleep. It
increases the risk of developing high
blood pressure and having a stroke
and is more common in people who
are obese.
Occipital Lobe: The region in the
back of the brain responsible for
visual processing.
Occlusion: The closing or blocking of
a hollow organ or body part.
25
Occult: Something not visible to the
naked eye but seen under a
microscope or through lab tests.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Beneficial
fats, also known as n-3 fatty acids.
These are polyunsaturated fat found in
fatty fish, such as salmon.
Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Fatty acids
found in certain foods that the body
needs for good health but can't make
on its own. Also known as n-6 fatty
acids.
Oncogene: A gene that, under certain
conditions, can cause cancer.
Oncologist: A physician who deals
with the diagnosis and treatment of
cancer. There are three types—
medical oncologists, radiation
oncologists, and surgical oncologists.
Ondine's Curse: A rare and
potentially fatal disorder in which a
person may stop breathing, especially
at night. Also called congenital
central hypoventilation syndrome.
.
26

P body by touching it carefully.
Pacemaker, Artificial: A small
electronic device generally placed in
the chest to correct an irregular
heartbeat. It generates small electrical
pulses that prompt the heart to beat at
a normal pace.
Pacemaker, Natural: A specialized
cluster of cells called the sinoatrial
node in the top of the right atrium.
The pacemaker produces a steady
flow of beat now signals that flash
across the atria and then pass through
the atrioventricular node to the
ventricles.
Pad: Abbreviation for peripheral
artery disease, a condition caused by
atherosclerosis in the arteries in the
legs or leading to them.
Painkillers: Drugs that relieve pain.
Palate: The tissues that make up the
roof of the mouth.
Palliative Care: Treatment that
relieves the symptoms of a serious
illness, but does not cure the disease
itself.
27
Palpate: To examine a part of the
Palpitation: Sensation that the heart
is beating rapidly or irregularly.
Palsy: Paralysis in part of the body,
often with loss of sensation and
uncontrolled body movements.
Pancreas: A gland in the abdomen
that produces digestive enzymes and
hormones.
Pandemic: A disease outbreak
affecting large populations or a whole
region, country, or continent.
Pannus: An abnormal layer of tissue
that forms over joints or the cornea of
the eye.
Papillary Muscles: Threads of
muscle that pull the heart valves
between the upper and lower
chambers of the heart closed during
heart contractions.
Paraplegia: Paralysis of the legs and
lower part of the body.
28
Q
Quadriplegia: Paralysis of all limbs,
often caused by a severe neck injury.

Quantitative computed
tomography: A modification of
computed tomography that provides
measurements of bone mass as well as
an image.

Quarantine: A period of time in

which a sick person is kept away from
others to prevent the spread of
disease.

Quick relievers: Medications that

quickly open the bronchial tubes by
relaxing the muscles surrounding
these airways.

Quiet sleep: Any sleep other than

REM sleep, in which thinking and
most physiological activities slow, but
movement still occurs. Also called
non-REM sleep.

29

R uptake test or a radioactive thyroid
Radial Tunnel
Syndrome: A
condition 30 in which the radial
nerve is compressed at the
elbow, causing pain, numbness,
tingling, and muscle weakness in the
hand and arm.
Radiation: Energy in the form of
particles or waves, such as x-rays and
gamma rays. Radiation is often used
to help make a diagnosis, as in x-rays,
or as a treatment for cancer.
Radiation Therapy: Treatment with
high-energy rays (from x-rays or other
sources) designed to control disease
and destroy cancer cells.
Radical Prostatectomy: Surgery to
remove the entire prostate.
Radiculopathy: Pain caused by
irritation of a nerve as it exits the
spinal cord.
Radioactive Iodine: A radioactive
form of iodine that can be used as a
tracer during a radioactive iodine
scan. Much larger amounts are used in
the treatment of hyperthyroidism.
Radioallergosorbent Test: A blood
test used for identifying allergens.
Radiofrequency: A non-surgical
technique using an electromagnetic
current to penetrate deep into the
body's tissues, which can be used to
treat pain, cancer, and heart rhythm
disorders, among other conditions.
Radiograph: Another name for an x-
ray.
Radionuclide Imaging Or Scan:
Another name for nuclear tests: tests
that use tiny amounts of short-lived
radioactive substances that can target
particular organs or cell receptors to
diagnose disease.
Radionuclides: Short-lived
radioactive chemicals that are used in
nuclear imaging tests.
Rales: Abnormal lung sounds that
might be a sign of fluid buildup
congestion in the lungs.
Randomized: A feature of many
clinical trials in which participants are
randomly assigned to either a group to
be tested or a control
group.
32
S
Sacroiliitis: Inflammation of the
sacroiliac joints, which connect the
lower spine to the pelvis.
Sacrum: The larger triangular bone at
the base of the spine.
Sad: Abbreviation for seasonal
affective disorder, sadness and
depression brought on by a lack of
exposure to sunlight. SAD usually
appears in the fall or winter and
subsides in the spring.
Saline: A watery solution that
contains a small amount of salt and is
often used to administer drugs or as a
substitute for plasma.
Salivary Gland: One of three pairs of
glands that pour lubricating fluids and
digestive enzymes into the mouth.
Saphenous Vein: A superficial blood
vessel that extends from the thigh to
the calf; it can be removed and used
as a coronary bypass graft.
Sarcolemma: A membrane that
covers the muscle fiber
and ties the end of it to a
31
tendon.
Sarcoma: A cancer that arises in the
soft tissues of the body that connect,
support, and separate other tissues or
organs. Sarcomas can occur almost
anywhere in the body.
Satisficer: A person who can make a
choice and be satisfied with it when
presented with an option that meets
his or her standards, without needing
to examine all options or find the
absolute best.
Saturated Fat: A type of fat found in
animal foods such as meat, poultry
skin, butter, and whole-milk dairy
products, as well in as palm and
coconut oils. A diet high in saturated
fat tends to raise blood levels of
unhealthy low-density lipoprotein
(LDL) cholesterol.
Sausage Digit: A toe or finger
swollen and red along its entire
length.
Scapulothoracic Joint: A shoulder
joint that connects the scapula to the
ribs at the back of the chest.
34
T neurofibrillary tangles—twisted
T cell: Abbreviation for T
lymphocyte, a type of white blood cell
that is produced in the bone marrow
and is part of the body's immune
system.
T lymphocyte: A type of white blood
cell that is produced in the bone
marrow and is part of the body's
immune system. Also called a T cell.
Tachycardia: An abnormally fast
heartbeat, usually above 100 beats per
minute.
Tamoxifen: A drug used by women
to prevent breast cancer or its
recurrence.
Tamsulosin: A drug used to treat
symptoms of an enlarged prostate
gland. It relieves constriction of the
urethra and improves urine flow by
relaxing the smooth muscle tissues in
the capsule that surrounds the
prostate. Unlike other drugs in this
class, tamsulosin does not decrease
blood pressure.
33
Tangles: Also called
strands of proteins that are found
inside the dead or dying nerve cells of
people with Alzheimer's disease.
Tardive Dyskinesia: Involuntary
writhing movements of the arms, legs,
and tongue caused by high doses of
antipsychotic drugs over long periods
of time.
Tarsal Coalition: An inherited
condition in which two bones of the
foot are fused together; can result in
rigid flat feet.
Tartar: A hardened layer of plaque
that builds up on teeth. Also called
calculus.
Tdd: Abbreviation for
telecommunications device for the
deaf—machinery that allows a person
who is deaf or hard of hearing to send
and receive typed messages over the
telephone.
36
U
Ulcer: A break in the skin or other
surface that often occurs along with
inflammation, infection, or cancerous
growth.
Ultrasound: A painless, noninvasive
imaging method that uses high-
frequency sound waves.
Unopposed Estrogen: Estrogen taken
without an accompanying
progestogen.
Unresolved Losses: Personal losses
that are not acknowledged and
mourned. Many mental health experts
believe that reactions to these losses
crop up later, often skewing a person's
response to an entirely different loss.
Unsaturated Fat: Healthy dietary
fats from plant sources such as
vegetable oils, nuts, and whole grains,
as well as from fatty fish. Includes
monounsaturated fat and
polyunsaturated fat.
35
Unstable Angina: Chest pain that
occurs or worsens in frequency,
severity, or duration when a person is
at rest or engaging in mild activity.
Upper Airway Resistance
Syndrome: Inhalation that requires
undue extra exertion; this extra work
may cause insomnia and daytime
sleepiness.
Upper Esophageal Sphincter:
Muscular valve located at the upper
portion of the esophagus that opens to
allow food or liquid to enter the
digestive system.
Urea: A waste product of protein
digestion and metabolism.

Ureter: The tube that connects each
kidney to the bladder.
Urethra: The tube leading from the
bladder through which urine is carried
from the body.
Urethral Hypermobility: Movement
of the urethra out of place when
abdominal pressure increases, leading
to stress incontinence.
38
V Vascular:
Vaccination: A method of protecting
the body against disease by injecting
parts or all of a microorganism that
will cause the body to develop
antibodies against the microorganism
and later fight off disease.
Vacuum Erection Devices: Various
manual or battery-operated pumps
that a man can use to draw blood into
the penis to create an erection.
Vaginismus: Spasms of the muscles
around the vaginal opening that
prevent penile penetration.
Valves: Structures consisting of
leaflets that divide the chambers of
the heart and prevent the backflow of
blood from one chamber to another
during contraction of the heart.
Variant Angina Pectoris: Also
called Prinzmetal's angina, these are
attacks of chest pain caused by
spasms of one or more coronary
arteries almost always while a person
is at rest.
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Having to do
with blood vessels and circulation.
Vascular Dementia: Dementia
caused by narrowing or blockage of
blood vessels in the brain or by a
stroke or series of tiny strokes. Also
called multi-infarct dementia.
Vascular Surgery: An operation to
improve blood flow either by
repairing leaks in blood vessels or by
rerouting arteries to bypass blockages.
Vasculitis: Inflammation of blood
vessels.
Vasectomy: An operation that ties off
or cuts the tubes through which sperm
travel from the testicles to the urethra;
used as a form of birth control.
Vasoconstrictor: A substance or
condition, such as drugs, cold, fear,
and nicotine, that causes blood vessels
to narrow and thus de-creases the
flow of blood.
W 40
Wall Stress: Force on the wall of the
heart muscle caused by pressure
inside the heart's pumping chamber;
excessive wall stress can impair the
heart's ability to pump and increase
the heart's need for oxygen.
Warfarin: An anticoagulant drug that
prevents blood clotting; people taking
it must have regular blood tests to
determine that their blood does not
clot too readily or too slowly.
Wart: An abnormal fibrous growth
caused by a viral infection.
Water Brash: Salty-tasting salivary
secretions stimulated by
gastroesophageal reflux.
Weber Test: A hearing test that uses
a tuning fork to diagnose one-sided
hearing loss.
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: An
irreversible state of acute confusion
and amnesia that develops in
alcoholics as a result of malnutrition-
related thiamine deficiency.
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Wernicke's Area: The brain region
responsible for the comprehension of
speech.
Whiplash: The popular term for
muscle and ligament damage resulting
from rapid and extreme extension and
flexion of the neck. The term is also
used for the accident causing the
injury, most often a rear-end motor
vehicle accident.
White Matter: The inner portion of
the brain, composed primarily of
axons, each surrounded by a myelin
sheath that insulates the nerve fibers
(and appears white). Messages are
sent between different regions of the
brain (gray matter) via these nerve
fibers.

White-Coat Hypertension: Blood

pressure that is elevated in a doctor's
office but is normal at home.

Will: A legal document that describes

what should be done with a person's
assets after his or her death.

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41
X
Xanthelasma: A xanthoma on the
eyelid.

Xanthoma: A yellow, lipid-laden

deposit in the skin or on a tendon.
 44

Y
YAG Capsulotomy: A laser
technique to correct blurred vision
caused by cloudiness that may
develop in the skin of the cataract left
in the eye after cataract surgery; a
laser is used to create a hole in the
membrane to allow light to enter
clearly focused onto the retina.

Yohimbine: An extract of the bark of

a West African tree sometimes used
in treating erectile dysfunction.
Yohimbine appears to increase blood
flow to the penis and prevent blood
from leaving it too quickly.
Z
Zonules: Thin, gelatinous ligaments
that attach the lens to the ciliary body
and support the lens centrally behind
the pupil.

Zoonotic Disease: An infectious

disease that is transmissible under
normal conditions from animals to
humans.

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