Abuse (see Substance abuse)

Addiction
Addiction is a chronic brain disease caused by changes in the brain's "reward circuits" (i.e. how the brain processes information about pleasurable experiences).  These changes are caused by the use of addictive substances. Addiction is diagnosed by learning if the patient exhibits behaviors considered symptomatic of addiction. 

Click for full entry >>

For a glossary on caregiving, go to Second Opinion, Caregiver Burnout (Episode 507)

For a glossary on end-of-life planning, go to Second Opinion, End of Life (Episode 313).

Click for full entry >>

Antibiotics: Drugs used to treat some bacterial diseases by killing the bacteria or preventing them from growing. Most current antibiotics were originally derived from microorganisms that occur commonly in the environment.

Bacteria: Microscopic organisms composed of a single cell and lacking a defined nucleus and membrane-enclosed internal compartment.

Cellulitis: An acute inflammation of the connective Click for full entry >>

Airways
The airways are part of the respiratory (breathing) system; they are the tubes through which air flows to and from the lungs.

Allergens
Allergens are substances that create abnormal reactions in people who are sensitive to (allergic to) them. 

Allergy
If you have an allergy – or are allergic to something – your body reacts abnormally to that thing; it has an "allergic reaction" to it.  There are a Click for full entry >>

Acetaminophen
Non-prescription pain reliever and fever reducer, such as Tylenol and Anacin-3.  Helps reduce mild to moderate pain.

Acupuncture
An alternative pain-relief therapy involving the insertion of needles into specific exterior body locations.  There is no compelling evidence that acupuncture can relieve back pain.

Acute
Describes an episode of back pain that lasts six to 12 weeks or Click for full entry >>

Adipose tissue 
Fat tissue.

Bariatrics 
A branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of obesity.

Body image 
A person's mental concept of his or her physical appearance, constructed from many different influences

Body mass index (BMI) 
A measure of body fat that is the ratio of the weight of the body in kilograms to the square of its height in meters. BMI is a Click for full entry >>

Abnormal mammogram
Not usual or not normal. The types of abnormal findings on a mammogram include a mass, solid-appearing dense areas, calcifications and asymmetry. An abnormal finding is not unusual, particularly if a woman has dense or lumpy breast tissue. Most importantly, abnormal does not equal cancer. The vast majority of abnormal mammograms prove to be benign.

Advanced cancer
A stage of cancer where the disease has spread Click for full entry >>

Abnormal mammogram
Not usual or not normal. The types of abnormal findings on a mammogram include a mass, solid-appearing dense areas, calcifications and asymmetry. An abnormal finding is not unusual, particularly if a woman has dense or lumpy breast tissue. Most importantly, abnormal does not equal cancer. The vast majority of abnormal mammograms prove to be benign.

Advanced cancer
A stage of cancer where the disease has spread from the primary Click for full entry >>

AED (Automated external defibrillators)
An AED is a small, portable device, attached to a person's chest with wires, that checks the person's heart rhythm, decides if that rhythm is "off," and gives the heart an electric shock (called a defibrillating shock) that restores the correct, natural rhythm. 

Antioxidant
Antioxidants are nutrients and other substances that protect cells in the body from Click for full entry >>

For a glossary on end-of-life planning, go to Second Opinion, End of Life (Episode 313)

Adult Day Care
Community-based care designed to meet the needs of impaired adults who, for their own safety and well-being, can no longer be left at home alone during the day.

Advance Medical Click for full entry >>

ASCUS: Acronym for Atypical Squamous Cells of Uncertain Significance.  It means that irregular cells have shown up on a Pap smear. The irregularity could be caused by many things, including transient infections or irritations that the body will take care of on its own. Hormonal changes and medications can also cause ASCUS results. This result can also be a signal of a precancerous change.

Benign: Not malignant. A condition that is Click for full entry >>

Acetaminophen 
Non-prescription pain reliever and fever reducer, such as Tylenol and Anacin-3.  Helps reduce mild to moderate pain.

Acupuncture
An alternative pain-relief therapy involving the insertion of needles into specific exterior body locations. 

Acute  
Having a sudden onset, sharp rise, and short course.

Addiction 
Psychological or emotional Click for full entry >>

Adult stem cells
Undifferentiated cells, found in a differentiated tissue, that can renew themselves and - with certain limitations - differentiate to yield all the specialized cell types of the tissue from which they originated.

Akinesia
Inability to move ("freezing") or difficulty in beginning or maintaining a body motion.

Antioxidant
A chemical compound or substance that inhibits oxidation - damage to cells' Click for full entry >>

Abdomen
The part of the body that contains organs including the pancreas, stomach, intestines, liver and gallbladder.

Anus
The excretory opening of the digestive tract from which waste is passed through the rectum out of the body.

Barium enema
A procedure in which a liquid with barium in it is distributed in the rectum and colon by way of the anus. Barium is a silver-white metallic compound that helps to show the Click for full entry >>

Anemia
A medical condition in which the body lacks sufficient hemoglobin, resulting in reduced oxygen to body tissues.

Angina (or Angina Pectoris)
Chest pain usually caused by a lowered blood supply to the heart.

Angiogram
An X-ray of blood vessels which can be seen because the patient receives an injection of Click for full entry >>

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (sometimes called cholinesterase inhibitors) are a class of drugs that have been used to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease in a significant number of cases.  They work by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger in the brain that helps memory and other thinking skills. Donepezil is the generic name of a commonly prescribed cholinesterase inhibitor.

Click for full entry >>

Depression
A potentially serious mental health condition that involves the body, mind and emotions, often characterized by a profound change in mood and/or a profound loss of interest in once-pleasurable things or activities.  Depression can affect the way you eat, sleep and function; how you feel about yourself and others; and what think about the world around you.

Bipolar disorder
Also known as manic depression.  Characterized by Click for full entry >>

Affect
A feeling, mood, or emotion, or the visible, outward appearance of feeling.

Alzheimer's disease
Named for Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who first described the disease in 1907, Alzheimer's disease causes gradually increasing dementia, including memory loss, confusion, problems with judgment, planning and concentration, and personality changes; in its later stages it also affects physical abilities. Click for full entry >>

A1c test 
Provides a picture of average blood sugar control for the past 2 to 3 months.  Also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c

Adult-onset diabetes 
One of the former terms for Type 2 diabetes.  

Anti-diabetic agent
A kind of medication that helps a person with diabetes control the level of glucose Click for full entry >>

Adipose tissue
Fat tissue.

Aerobic
Fat-fueled; aerobic exercise increases basal metabolic rate, reduces appetite, firms muscles, improves cardiac and respiratory function, and burns fat.

Adult-onset
Occurring for the first time in those who have reached maturity.

Amenorrhea
The loss of the menstrual cycle. In terms of eating disorders this is usually the result of excessive weight loss and Click for full entry >>

Acute illness 
Afflicted by a disease or condition that comes on rapidly and severely, but that can–with proper treatment–be eventually cured, such as pneumonia or a broken bone.

Advance Medical Directives 
Advance directives are used to give other people, including health care providers, information about your wishes for medical care. Advance directives are important in case there is ever a time when you are not physically or Click for full entry >>

Absence seizures
A type of seizure that typically is distinguishable by short periods ( 5-15 seconds) of staring, blinking, rolling of the eyes, or arm movements. These brief lapses of consciousness are followed by a return to full awareness.

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)
A category of drugs that can help control the frequency and severity of seizures; they also are known as anticonvulsants.

Aura
An unusual physical Click for full entry >>

Alzheimer's disease 
Named for Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who first described the disease in 1907, Alzheimer's disease causes gradually increasing dementia, including memory loss, confusion, problems with judgment, planning and concentration, and personality changes; in its later stages it also affects physical abilities. The disease's causes, cures and preventions are unknown.

Artificial insemination 
A procedure that places sperm in a woman's reproductive tract without intercourse.

ART (assisted reproductive technology) 
Fertility procedures and treatments involving the handling of human eggs and sperm for the purpose of helping women become pregnant.

Assisted hatching 
An in vitro procedure in which the zona pellucida of an embryo is perforated by chemical, mechanical, or Click for full entry >>

Annual flu 
Another name for seasonal flu.

Antibiotics 
Antibiotics are medicines designed to kill bacteria and to treat and prevent bacterial diseases and infections. Antibiotics are not used to prevent or treat influenza (which is a virus, not a bacteria) but may be used to treat bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, that may occur as complications of influenza infection.

Antibody 
An Click for full entry >>

Acid indigestion 
See "acid reflux."

Acid reflux
The process of stomach acid (gastric juices that help digest food) and other fluids backing up from the stomach into the esophagus. Also known as acid indigestion gastroesophageal reflux, and popularly, as heartburn.

Antacids
Antacids are medicines designed to eliminate the symptoms of acid indigestion (heartburn) by neutralizing the stomach acid Click for full entry >>

Acoustic neuroma
A slow-growing, benign tumor on the auditory and vestibular nerves that develops when cells that cover and insulate the nerves overproduce.

Acute otitis media
An infection of the middle ear that often includes pain, fever and conductive hearing loss.

Aplasia
Malformation of the inner ear.

Asymmetrical hearing loss
The degree and/or configuration of the loss is different Click for full entry >>

ACE inhibitors
ACE inhibitors are a class of vasodilators, drugs that open ("dilate") the arteries, lowering blood pressure and therefore the heart's workload.

Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants are drugs that prevent blood clots that can block blood flow to the heart

Antioxidant
Antioxidants are nutrients and other substances that protect cells in the body from the damage caused by "oxygen free Click for full entry >>

Arrhythmia 
Arrhythmia is a general term for an irregular heartbeat, caused by problems in the heart's electrical system, which regulates heart rhythm.  A heartbeat can be too slow (bradycardia), too fast (tachycardia), or simply irregular.

Blood pressure
The force exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries. This pressure is greatest during the contraction of the ventricles of the Click for full entry >>

ACE inhibitors
See Vasodilators.

Artificial Heart (sometimes called TAH for Total Artificial Heart)
An Artificial Heart is a self-contained mechanical device for pumping blood that is implanted in the chest and completely replaces the natural heart; at present they are experimental and are not available as a treatment for heart disease. 

Beta-blockers
Beta-blockers are medicines that reduce Click for full entry >>

Antioxidant
Antioxidants are nutrients and other substances that protect cells in the body from the damage caused by "oxygen free radicals" (molecules that seek to become oxidized, a process that harms body tissues and has been linked to many diseases, including stroke, heart disease, and cancer).

Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is a general term for an irregular heartbeat, caused by problems in the heart's electrical system, which regulates Click for full entry >>

Adverse effects
Also called side effects, this refers to what symptoms may occur from taking a medication.

Alternative medicine
Practices not generally recognized by the medical community as standard or conventional medical approaches.

Benign
Of no danger to health.

Bio-identical
Structurally identical to the substance Click for full entry >>

Antibiotic
A substance, such as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by or derived from certain fungi, bacteria, and other organisms, that can destroy or inhibit the growth of other microorganisms. Antibiotics are widely used in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Antimicrobial agent 
Any substance or mixture of substances that acts Click for full entry >>

Aneurysm: A localized, blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel caused by a disease or weakening of the vessel's wall.

Arteriosclerosis:  A chronic disease in which thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls result in impaired blood circulation. Also called hardening of the arteries. It develops with aging, and in hypertension, diabetes, and other conditions.

Click for full entry >>

Absorption
The process of absorbing or assimilating substances into cells or across the tissues and organs through diffusion or osmosis, as in absorption of nutrients by the digestive system, or absorption of drugs into the bloodstream.

Anemia
The condition of having less than the normal number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. The oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood Click for full entry >>

Bladder - The bladder, a part of the urinary tract, is a hollow, muscular, balloon-shaped organ located in the pelvis that normally holds urine until it is voluntarily released.

Incontinence (see "Urinary incontinence")

Interstitial cystitis (IC) - Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammation of the bladder wall that is not caused by bacteria nor treatable with antibiotics; 90% of people with IC are Click for full entry >>

Antibodies
Antibodies are substances produced by the immune system to find and mark antigens, so that other substances can attack and kill them.

Antigens
Harmful substances, such as bacteria, viruses, toxins, cancer cells, blood or tissues from another person or species, that can cause disease or infection.

Autoimmune disease
Any one of more than eighty diseases caused by Click for full entry >>

Acetaminophen
Non-prescription pain reliever and fever reducer, such as Tylenol and Anacin-3.  Does not have anti-inflammatory effect but can help reduce mild to moderate pain.

Acupuncture
An alternative pain-relief therapy involving the insertion of needles into specific exterior body locations.  The National Institutes of Health says acupuncture can reduce pain and improve function for people with arthritis, and serve as an Click for full entry >>

For a glossary on caregiving, go to Second Opinion, Caregiver Burnout (Episode 507)

For a glossary on end-of-life planning, go to Second Opinion, End of Life (Episode 313)

Acid-Alkaline Click for full entry >>

Analgesics
A medication that reduces or eliminates pain.

Bladder 
The bladder, a part of the urinary tract, is a hollow, muscular, balloon-shaped organ located in the pelvis that normally holds urine until it is voluntarily released.

Calcium 
A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored.

Calcium oxalate 
A chemical compound that forms needle-shaped Click for full entry >>

Breast conservation (or breast sparing) surgery 
An operation that completely removes the breast cancer along with a rim of normal breast tissue around it. Most of the normal breast is saved. Surgery types are lumpectomy, quadrantectomy, and segmental mastectomy.

Cancer 
A term for many diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. 

Chemoprevention 
The use of drugs, vitamins or other Click for full entry >>

Aging 
The process of a system's deterioration with time.

Andropause 
A gradual decline in sex hormone levels over a period of years resulting in physiological and psychological changes.

Anti-oxidant 
A nutrient or chemical that reacts with and neutralizes oxidants, free radicals or chemicals that release free radicals. Antioxidants are also called free radical scavengers. Vitamins A, C, E and some of Click for full entry >>

Asymptomatic
No symptoms; no clear sign of disease present.

Advanced cancer
A stage of cancer where the disease has spread from the primary site to other parts of the body.  When the cancer has spread only to the surrounding areas, it is called locally advanced. If it has spread further by traveling through the bloodstream, it is called metastatic.

AMD
See macular degeneration

Amsler grid
A pattern of lines like a checkerboard, with a black dot in the center, used in eye examinations. People can learn to use an Amsler grid at home to check for advancing macular degeneration.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants are nutrients and other substances that protect cells in the body from the damage caused by "oxygen Click for full entry >>

Acquisition
In terms of memory, acquisition is the first step in forming memories and refers to gaining a new piece of information which is first put into short-term memory. 
 
Alzheimer's disease
Named for Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who first described the disease in 1907, Alzheimer's disease causes gradually increasing dementia, including memory loss, confusion, problems with judgment, Click for full entry >>

Alternative medicine: Practices not generally recognized by the medical community as standard or conventional medical approaches.

Biphosphonates: A group of drugs used to treat osteoporosis and the bone pain caused by some types of cancer.

Cardiovascular disease: Diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Climacteric: A medical term describing the transition phase from a woman's Click for full entry >>

Abdominal fat
Fat that is centrally distributed between the thorax and pelvis.

Atherosclerosis
The process of disease in blood vessels leading to narrowing and diminished blood flow. Atherosclerosis occurs when cholesterol and other lipids are deposited in the artery wall, and inflammation and other degenerative processes cause the vessel to become obstructed. Atherosclerosis involves primarily arteries and reduced blood flow leads to damage of Click for full entry >>

This glossary has been adapted from one available at NINDS, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and one of the National Institutes of Health.

Angiography
An imaging technique that provides a picture, called an angiogram, of blood vessels.

Aura
A Click for full entry >>

Adrenaline
Synonymous with epinephrine.

Alternative medicine
Practices used instead of standard medical treatments. Alternative medicine is distinct from complementary medicine which is meant to accompany, not to replace, standard medical practices. Alternative medical practices are generally not recognized by the medical community as standard or conventional Click for full entry >>

5-year survival rate
The percentage of patients who live at least 5 years after their cancer is diagnosed. Although many of these patients live much longer than 5 years after diagnosis, 5-year rates are used to produce a standard way of discussing prognosis.

Advanced Cancer
A stage of cancer where the disease has spread from the primary site to other parts of the body. When the cancer has spread only to the Click for full entry >>

CAM: Complementary and Alternative Medicine. A group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. Check specific terms related to CAM from NIH.

Amino Click for full entry >>

Bariatrics: A branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of obesity.

Body mass index (BMI): A measure of body fat that is the ratio of the weight of the body in kilograms to the square of its height in meters. BMI is a better measure of health risk than actual weight in pounds. The medical terms, overweight and obesity, are based on BMI values. A BMI of between 25 and 30 is defined as overweight, and a BMI of 30 or more is Click for full entry >>

Acetaminophen
Non-prescription pain reliever and fever reducer, such as Tylenol and Anacin-3.  Does not have anti-inflammatory effect but can help reduce mild to moderate pain.

Acupuncture
An alternative pain-relief therapy involving the insertion of needles into specific exterior body locations.  The National Institutes of Health says acupuncture can reduce pain and improve function for people with arthritis, and serve as an Click for full entry >>

Bisphosphonates: A family of non-hormonal drugs used to treat osteoporosis.

Bone densitometry: A test which detects low bone density. The most common bone density test is called dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The test involves lying on a table for 10 to 20 minutes while a small x-ray detector scans the spine, hips or both.

Bone density: The volume of calcium and minerals within the Click for full entry >>

Advanced cancer
A stage of cancer where the disease has spread from the primary site to other parts of the body.  When the cancer has spread only to the surrounding areas, it is called locally advanced. If it has spread further by traveling through the bloodstream, it is called metastatic.

Asymptomatic
No symptoms; no clear sign of disease present.

Click for full entry >>

BPH
BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) is a benign (non-cancerous) enlargement of the prostate. It is very common in men over 50 and often starts earlier. Some of its symptoms (such as urinating more frequently, difficulty urinating, weak urine stream,) are similar to prostate cancer, which is why it's important to have an accurate diagnosis.

Bracytherapy 
Bracytherapy is a form of radiotherapy (radiation treatment) for cancer in which Click for full entry >>

Actinic keratosis
A precancerous condition of thick, scaly patches of skin.

Adjuvant therapy
Any treatment given after the first that is intended to increase the effectiveness of the first treatment.

Angioma
A benign tumor in the skin, which is made up of blood or lymph vessels.

Atypical mole
See dysplastic.

Basal cell carcinoma
Most common and least dangerous type Click for full entry >>

Antihistamine
A type of chemical present in many cold and allergy medicines, and some nonprescription sleep medicines. When taken at night as sleep aids, antihistamine-containing medicines may result in daytime drowsiness.

Apnea
A temporary pause in one's breathing pattern. Sleep apnea consists of repeated episodes of temporary pauses in breathing during sleep.

Circadian rhythm
From the Click for full entry >>

ACE inhibitors
ACE inhibitors are a class of vasodilators, drugs that open ("dilate") the arteries, lowering blood pressure and therefore helping prevent stroke .

Aneurysm
An aneurysm is a localized, blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel caused by a disease or weakening of the vessel's wall.

Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants are drugs that prevent the formation of blood clots that can block blood flow to the brain. Click for full entry >>

Anti-depressants
Medicines developed to treat depression.  They are prescribed based on the particular diagnosis of a patient and administered under appropriate risk management models.  In some cases, such as, depression caused by a neurochemical imbalance – anti-depressants might be essential for a favorable outcome.  Usually, treatment must continue for several weeks before full therapeutic effect can be Click for full entry >>

Active TB 
Active TB means the person infected by TB bacteria is feeling sick and showing symptoms, the result of the bacteria attacking different areas of the body. Symptoms of active pulmonary TB (tuberculosis of the lungs) include persistent cough, weakness, appetite and weight loss, fever, chills, and night sweats.

BCG
BCG (Bacille Calmette Guerin) is a vaccine for TB called made from a live Click for full entry >>

Acellular vaccines
A cell-free vaccine prepared from purified antigenic components of cell-free microorganisms, carrying less side effects than whole-cell preparations.

Active immunity
The production of antibodies against a specific disease by the immune system. Active immunity can be acquired in two ways, either by contracting the disease or through vaccination. Active immunity is usually permanent, meaning an individual is protected from the Click for full entry >>

Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a condition in which the cornea (or, much less often, the lens) is unevenly curved, causing light to be unevenly refracted. The result is that light may focus on the retina, but not on one focal point. This causes a blurry image, a condition known as astigmatism. A person can have astigmatism alone, or combined with either nearsightedness or farsightedness.

Cornea
The cornea is a clear, rounded surface in the front Click for full entry >>

Aging
The process of a system's deterioration with time.

Andropause
A gradual decline in sex hormone levels over a period of years resulting in physiological and psychological changes.

Anti-oxidant
A nutrient or chemical that reacts with and neutralizes oxidants, free radicals or chemicals that release free radicals. Antioxidants are also called free radical scavengers. Vitamins A, C, E and some of the B vitamins, Click for full entry >>

ACE inhibitors
ACE inhibitors are a class of vasodilators, drugs that open ("dilate") the arteries, lowering blood pressure and therefore helping prevent stroke .

Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants are drugs that prevent the formation of blood clots that can block blood flow to the brain. See "Antiplatelets."

Antiplatelets 
Antiplatelets are drugs that stop blood platelets (substances in blood that promote clotting) Click for full entry >>