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The Glossary is very useful
for the explanation of medical terminology.
Click on a letter
to view the corresponding section of the glossary:
A B
C D
E F
G H
I J
K L
M N
O P
Q R
S T
U V
W X
Y Z
-
E . . .
- Edema
- excess accumulation of fluid
in cells or tissues
- Electroencephalogram
(EEG)
- Pertaining to electrical
activity in the brain.
- Electrolytes
- Substances such as salts
and minerals needed for various functions in the body
(eg, conducting electicity).
- ELISA (enzyme-linked
immunoabsorbent assay)
- A blood test used to detect
antibodies to viruses or bacteria, as it causes detectable
color change in the test tube. The HIV ELISA is commonly
used as the initial screening test.
- Embolism
- the sudden blocking of an
artery by a clot or foreign material that has been brought
to the site by the blood current.
- Embolus
- a mass of clotted blood
or other material brought by the blood from another vessel
and forced into a smaller one, thus obstructing the circulation.
-
- Emetogenic
- induces vomiting
- Empirical
- based on experience or observational
information.
-
- Encopresis
- Accidental passage of a
bowel movement not due to illness. A common disorder in
children.
- Endocrine
glands
- Glands that release hormones
into the bloodstream. Hormones influence other body functions.
- Endocrinologist
- A doctor who treats people
who have problems with their endocrine glands.
- Endogenous
- Arising inside the body.
- Endometrium
- the inner mucous membrane
of the uterus
- Endorphins
- Naturally occurring painkilling
substances produced in the nervous system that stops pain
naturally.
- Endoscope
- A small, flexible tube with
a light and a lens on the end used to look into the gastrointestinal
tract. It can also be used to take biopsy and pictures
of the organ.
- Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
- A test using an x-ray to
study the bile and pancreatic ducts. The doctor inserts
an endoscope through the mouth into the duodenum and bile
ducts. Dye is sent through the tube into the ducts. The
dye makes the ducts show up on an x-ray.
-
- Endoscopy
- A procedure that uses an
endoscope to diagnose or treat a condition.
- Enema
- A liquid injected into the
rectum to clear out the bowel.
- Enteral Nutrition
- A way to provide food through
a tube placed in the nose, the stomach, or the small intestine.
A tube in the nose is called a nasogastric or nasoenteral
tube. A tube into the stomach is called a gastrostomy
or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). A tube into
the small intestine is called a jejunostomy or percutaneous
endoscopic jejunostomy (PEJ) tube.
- Enteritis
- An irritation of the small
intestine.
- Enterocele
- A hernia in the intestine.
- Enteroscopy
- An examination of the small
intestine with an endoscope.
- Enterostomy
- An opening into the intestine
through the abdominal wall.
- Epidemiology
- The study of a disease that
deals with how many people have disease, where they are,
how many new cases develop, and how to control the disease.
- Epinephrine
- Secreted by the adrenal
glands. It causes the rapid heart rate and can raise
blood pressure; Synonym= adrenalin.
- Epithelial
Cells
- A kind of cells that form
the epithelium and absorb nutrients. See also Epithelium.
- Epithelium
- the cellular layer without
blood vessels covering free surfaces of the body such
as the skin
- Eructation
- Belching.
- Erythema Nodosum
- Red swellings or sores on
the lower legs.
- Escherichia
coli
- Bacteria that cause infection
and irritation of the large intestine.
- Esophagitis
- inflammation of the esophagus
- Esophageal Atresia
- The esophagus lacks the
opening to allow food to pass into the stomach.
- Esophageal Manometry
- A test to measure muscle
tone in the esophagus.
- Esophageal Reflux
- Involves damage to the esophageal
lining, often with ulcer.
- Esophageal Stricture
- A narrowing of the esophagus
often caused by acid flowing back from the stomach.
- Esophageal Ulcer
- A sore in the esophagus.
Caused by long-term inflammation or damage from the residue
of pills. The ulcer may cause chest pain.
- Esophagitis
- An irritation of the esophagus,
usually caused by acid that flows up from the stomach.
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
(EGD)
- Exam of the upper digestive
tract using an endoscope.
- Esophagus
- The organ that connects
the mouth to the stomach.
- Etiology
- the science of the causes
and modes of operation of diseases
- Excrete
- To get rid of waste from
the body.
- Exfoliate
- to shed cells from the epithelium
layer of the skin or mucosa
- Exogenous
- Arising outside the body.
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F . . .
- Failure to Thrive
- A condition in which the
child does not grow normally.
- Familial Polyposis
- An inherited disease causing
many polyps in the colon. The polyps often cause cancer.
- Fasting blood
glucose test
- The test is usually done
in the morning before breakfast. The normal range for
blood glucose is from 70 to 110 mg/dl. If the level is
over 126 mg/dl, it usually means the person has diabetes
(except for newborns and some pregnant women).
- Fats
- One of the three main classes
of foods and a source of energy in the body. Fats help
the body use some vitamins and keep the skin healthy.
There are two types of fats: saturated and unsaturated.
Saturated fats are from
animal food products. Some examples are butter, lard,
meat fat, solid shortening, palm oil, and coconut oil.
These fats tend to raise the level of cholesterol in
the blood.
Unsaturated fats are monounsaturated
fats and polyunsaturated fats. These are derived from
plant oils such as olive, peanut, corn, cottonseed,
sunflower, safflower, and soybean. These fats tend to
lower the level of cholesterol in the blood. See also:
Carbohydrate; protein.
- Fatty acids
- A basic unit of fats.
- Fatty Liver
- The accumulation of fat
in liver cells. The most common cause is alcoholism. Other
causes include obesity, diabetes, and pregnancy.
- Fecal Fat
Test
- A test to measure the body's
ability to break down and absorb fat. The patient eats
a fat-free diet for 2 to 3 days before the test and collects
stool samples for examination.
- Fecal Incontinence
- Unable to hold stool in
the rectum.
- Fecal Occult Blood
Test (FOBT)
- A test blood in the
stool that is not visible to the naked eye.
-
- Fiber
- A substance found in foods
that come from plants. The two types of fiber in food
are soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, found in beans,
fruits, and oat products, dissolves in water and is thought
to help lower blood fats and blood glucose (sugar). Insoluble
fiber, found in whole-grain products and vegetables, passes
directly through the digestive system, helping to rid
the body of waste products.
- Fibrin
- The insoluble protein formed
from fibrinogen by the proteolytic action of thrombin
during the normal clotting of blood.
- Fibroblast
- pertaining to fibroblasts,
or connective tissue cells
- Fibromyalgia
- A chronic disorder characterized
by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and multiple
tender points.
- Fibrous capsule
- A tough wrapping of tendons
and ligaments that surrounds the joint.
- Fistula
- An abnormal canal between
two organs or between an organ and the outside of the
body.
- Flatulence
- Excessive gas in the stomach
or intestine. May cause bloating.
- Flare
- A period of time in which
disease symptoms reappear or become worse.
- Flatus
- Gas passed through the rectum.
- Flolic acid
- It is in viatmin B complex
involved in the formation of red blood cells
- Foodborne Illness
- An acute gastrointestinal
infection caused by food that contains harmful bacteria.
Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and
chills.
- Fructose
- A type of sugar found in
many fruits and vegetables and in honey. Fructose is used
to sweeten some diet foods.
- Fulminant
Hepatic Failure (FHF)
- Liver failure that occurs
suddenly in a previously healthy person.
- Functional Disorders
- Disorders such as irritable
bowel syndrome. These conditions result from poor nerve
and muscle function. Emotional stress can trigger symptoms.
Synonym: motility disorders.
- Fungus
- A mold or yeast that may
cause infection.
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G . . .
-
- Galactosemia
- Accumulation of galactose
in the blood. Caused by lack of one of the enzymes needed
to break down galactose into glucose.
- Gallbladder
- The organ that stores the
bile made in the liver. Connected to the liver by bile
ducts. Eating signals the gallbladder to empty the
bile through the bile ducts to help digest fats.
- Gallstones
- The solid masses or stones
made of cholesterol or bilirubin that form in the gallbladder
or bile ducts.
- Ganglion
- Group of nerve cell bodies
located in the peripheral nervous system
- Gangrene
- The death of body tissue,
secondary to loss of blood flow.
- Gardner's
Syndrome
- A condition in which many
polyps form throughout the digestive tract.
- Gastrectomy
- An operation to remove all
or part of the stomach.
- Gastric
- Related to the stomach.
- Gastric Juices
- Liquids produced in the
stomach to help break down food and to kill bacteria.
- Gastric Resection
- An operation to remove part
or all of the stomach.
- Gastric Ulcer
- See Stomach Ulcer
- Gastrin
- A hormone released after
eating. Gastrin causes the stomach to produce more acid.
- Gastritis
- An inflammation of the stomach
lining.
-
- Gastrocolic Reflex
- Increase of muscle movement
in the gastrointestinal tract when food enters an empty
stomach. May cause the urge to have a bowel movement right
after eating.
- Gastroenteritis
- An infection or irritation
of the stomach and intestines.a.
- Gastroenterologist
- A doctor who specializes
in digestive diseases.
- Gastroenterology
- The field of medicine concerned
with the function and disorders of the digestive system.
- Gastroesophageal
Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Flow of the stomach's contents
back up into the esophagus happens when the muscle between
the esophagus and the lower esophageal sphincter
is weak or relaxes when it shouldn't. May cause esophagitis.
- Gastrointestinal
(GI) Tract
- The muscular tube that extends
from the mouth to the anus. Also called the alimentary
canal or digestive tract.
- Gastroparesis
- A form of nerve damage that
affects the stomach. Food is not digested properly and
does not move through the stomach in a normal way, resulting
in vomiting, nausea, or bloating and interfering with
diabetes management.
- Gastrostomy
- An artificial opening from
the stomach to a hole (stoma) in the abdomen where a feeding
tube is inserted.
- Gene
- A basic unit of heredity.
Genes are made of DNA, a substance that tells cells what
to do and when to do it.
- Generic Drug
Name
- The generic or common name
of a drug is its more-or-less scientific name created
by agreement among manufacturers and physicians.
-
- Giardiasis
- A parasitic infection from
spoiled food or unclean water. May cause diarrhea.
- Gilbert Syndrome
- Inceased level of bilirubin
in the blood secondary to lack of a liver enzyme needed
to break down bilirubin.
- Glaucoma
- An eye disease associated
with increased pressure within the eye. Glaucoma can cause
impaired vision and blindness.
- Glomerular
filtration rate
- Measure of the kidneys'
ability to filter and remove waste products.
- Glomeruli
- Bunch of tiny blood vessels
in the kidneys where the blood is filtered and waste products
are removed.
- Glucagon
- A hormone that raises the
level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. The alpha cells
of the pancreas (in areas called the islets of Langerhans)
make glucagon when the body needs to put more sugar into
the blood.
- Glucose
- A simple sugar found in
the blood. It is the body's main source of energy; also
known as dextrose.
-
- Glucose Tolerance
Test
- This is the test to see
if a person has diabetes. The test is given in a lab or
doctor's office in the morning before the breakfast. A
first sample of blood is taken from the person. Then the
person drinks a liquid having gucose. After one hour,
a second blood sample is drawn, and, after another hour,
a third sample is taken.
- Gluten
- A protein found in wheat,
rye, barley, and oats. In people who can't digest it,
gluten damages the lining of the small intestine or causes
sores on the skin.
-
- Gycosylated
Hemoglobin Test
- A blood test that measures
a person's average blood glucose (sugar) level for the
2- to 3-month period before the test.
- Gonadotropin
- a hormone that promotes
gonad (sex gland) growth and function
- Gout
- A kind of arthritis caused
by the reaction of the body to needle-like crystals of
uric acid that accumulate in joint spaces causing inflammation,
swelling, and pain in the affected joint.
-
- Granuloma
- A mass of red, irritated
tissue in the GI tract found in Crohn's disease.
-
-
- Granulomatous Enteritis
- See Crohn's disease
-
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