Glossary

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Abdominal cavity - the part of the body between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the thighs, containing most of the digestive and urinary systems along with some reproductive organs

ABO blood groups - The system by which human blood is classified, based on proteins occurring on red blood cells; the four classification groups are A, AB, B, and O

Abortion - termination of a pregnancy; can occur because of natural causes (called a miscarriage) or be a medical intervention

Abscess - an accumulation of pus in a body tissue, usually caused by a bacterial infection

Acne - a skin condition characterized by inflamed, pus-filled areas that occur on the skin's surface, most commonly occurring during adolescence

Acquired - a word describing any condition that is not present at birth, but develops some time during life

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes a weakening of the immune system

Acute - describes a condition or illness that begins suddenly and is usually short-lasting

Adipose tissue - another term for fatty tissue; it stores energy, insulates, and cushions the body

Adjuvant therapy - the use of drugs or radiation therapy in the treatment of cancer along with surgery

Adrenal glands - two small glands located on top of the kidneys that secrete several important hormones into the blood

Adverse reaction - an unintended and unwanted side effect of some sort of treatment, usually drug therapy

AIDS - see Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Allergy - a negative reaction to a substance that in most people causes no reaction

Alopecia - baldness or loss of hair, mainly on the head, either in defined patches or completely; the cause is unknown

Alzheimer disease - a condition that occurs late in life and worsens with time in which brain cells degenerate; it is accompanied by memory loss, physical decline, and confusion

Amenorrhea - absence of menstrual periods, occurring either after or before menstruation has begun

Amniocentesis - a procedure in which a small amount of amniotic fluid is removed from the mother's womb in order to detect abnormalities of the fetus

Amniotic fluid - clear fluid that surrounds a fetus during pregnancy and cushions and protects it

Anal fissure - a long, open sore on the skin of the anus

Anal fistula - an abnormal tubelike passage connecting the anus to the surface of the surrounding skin

Analgesic - a drug that relieves pain, such as aspirin or acetaminophen

Anal sphincter - a ring of muscle fibers at the opening of the rectum, controlling the opening and closing of the anus

Anaphylactic shock - a life-threatening allergic reaction resulting in difficulty breathing and low blood pressure

Anatomy - the structure of bodies; commonly refers to the study of body structure

Androgen - a hormone (such as testosterone) that causes development of male characteristics and sex organs

Anemia - a condition in which the blood does not contain enough hemoglobin, the compound that carries oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body

Anencephaly - a fatal birth defect in which the brain and spinal cord have failed to develop, resulting in the absence of a portion of the skull and brain

Anesthesia - a loss of sensation in a certain part of the body or throughout the body

Anesthetic - a substance that temporarily causes a person to be unable to feel pain, either in a certain area or over the entire body

Anorexia nervosa - a dangerous eating disorder mainly affecting young girls in which the sufferer has an intense fear of looking fat, avoids food, and loses weight excessively

Antacid - a drug that neutralizes stomach acids; used to treat indigestion, heartburn, and acid reflux

Antibiotic resistance - the development by bacteria of the ability to live in the presence of a certain antibiotic, making treatment difficult

Antibiotics - bacteria-killing substances that are used to fight infection

Antibody - a protein made by white blood cells that reacts with a specific foreign protein as part of the immune response

Antiemetics - drugs used to treat nausea and vomiting

Antihistamine - a drug that relieves an allergic reaction by stopping the effects of histamine, the substance responsible for the negative symptoms associated with the reaction

Antihypertensives - drugs used to relieve the symptoms and prevent the damage that can occur from high blood pressure

Antioxidants - substances that protect against cell damage by guarding the cell from oxygen free radicals

Antiseptics - chemicals applied to the skin that prevent infection by killing bacteria and other harmful organisms

Anus - the opening through which feces are passed from the body

Aorta - the main artery in the body, carrying oxygenated blood from the heart to other arteries in the body

Aortic stenosis - narrowing of the opening of the aortic valve in the heart, which increases resistance to blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta; commonly a birth defect or caused by scarring and calcium accumulation in the valve from rheumatic fever

Apgar score - a system for evaluating the health of a newborn baby; rated on a scale of 0-10

Aplasia - the complete or partial failure of any organ or tissue to grow

Apnea - a possibly life-threatening condition in which breathing stops, for either a short or long period of time

Artery - a large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to tissues and organs in the body

Arthritis- a disease of the joints characterized by inflammation, pain, stiffness, and redness

Artificial insemination - injection of semen into the cervix

Ascites - excess fluid in the abdominal cavity, which leads to swelling

Aspermia - the failure either to produce or to ejaculate sperm

Asphyxia - the medical term for suffocation; can be caused by choking on an object, by lack of oxygen in the air, or by chemicals such as carbon monoxide, which reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood

Atresia - a birth defect in which a normal body opening or canal is absent; usually requires surgical repair soon after birth

Atria - the two upper chambers of the heart; the singular form is atrium

Atrial septal defect - a hole located in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart

Atrophy - the shrinkage or near disappearance of a tissue or organ

Autism - a mental disorder characterized by an inability to relate to other people and extreme withdrawal

Autoimmune disease - a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks itself

Autopsy - the examination of a body following death, possibly to determine the cause of death or for research

Autosomal dominant - a term describing a gene on any chromosome other than the sex chromosomes that produces its effect whenever it is present; can also describe the effect of the gene itself

Autosomal recessive - a term used to describe a gene on any chromosome other than the sex chromosomes that produces its effect only when two copies of it are present; can also describe the effect of the gene itself

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