Glossary of Terms
cells that help protect you from germs
germs or "bugs"
micro-organism that can cause infection in humans: can also be protective which is known as normal flora
a mesh-like tube of thin wire used to open a blocked blood vessel in your heart
weight loss surgery
a condition in which your esophagus is damaged by your stomach acid
a cell that helps protect you from germs
changing what you do, stopping habits
a nerve condition where there is sudden muscle weakness on one side of your face, making it appear to droop
doing something good, kindness, or charity,
good, good for, helpful, useful
someone who receives or is given something
help, aid, an advantage
harmless, not a danger
grief after a loss or death, sadness, mourning
A "snapshot" of all of your medication use. We do this by interviewing you or your family, because the medication you are taking may be different than what is in your medical record.
The systemic process of interviewing the patient/family and reviewing at least another reliable source of information to verify the patient's complete medication use.
medication to lower your blood pressure
medication that may help angina symptoms or slow down fast heart beats
a chemical in your blood
teeth in your upper and lower jaw
twice a day
on both sides
at tube that carries bile from your liver to your small intestine
a mask you wear that is attached to a machine that can help you breathe easier
a machine that uses airway pressure to treat breathing problems. The machine gives you 2 levels of air pressure. The air pressure is high when you inhale and low when you exhale.
The air is given to you through 1 of the following:
• a mask over your nose
• a mask over your nose and mouth
• a tube under your nose and into your nostrils
about the fluids (bile) made by your liver
A brownish yellow substance that is released from your old red blood cells when they are naturally broken down by your liver. Bilirubin is found in bile. It is removed from the body through your stool (feces). Too much bilirubin in your bloodstream can cause jaundice. Jaundice will show as yellow coloring in your skin.
disease, poison, germ, virus, fungus
A test to check on how the baby is doing while inside the uterus. Using ultrasound, this test assesses fetal breathing, fetal movement, fetal tone, and amniotic fluid volume.
take tissue, usually to test
a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, or an interventional radiologist, to remove cells or tissues for testing. This is done to help determine the presence or extent of a disease. The tissue is generally examined under a microscope by a pathologist.
illness that causes extreme mood swings, from restless highs (mania) to depression
sugar in your blood
a blood test to find out the amount of sugar that is in the blood.
the force of blood pushing out on your artery walls
the pressure of the blood within the arteries. A blood pressure cuff is used to measure this pressure which is produced primarily by the contraction of the heart muscle. Its measurement is recorded by two numbers - the first (systolic pressure) is measured after the heart contracts and is highest and the second (diastolic pressure) is measured before the heart contracts and is the lowest. High blood pressure is called "hypertension".
blood from a donor is given to someone who is ill or who has lost too much blood
how much fat someone has
a calculation using a simple formula based on a someone's height and weight. This can be used to find out if someone is overweight, underweight, or at a healthy weight
bone strength test, a test done in the x-ray department of how solid and how strong your bones are
Imaging of the mineral content of bone using low density x-rays, primarily to assess patients with suspected low calcium/phosphorus content or osteoporosis.
the space inside your bones where blood cells are made
a needle (shot) you get months or years after your vaccination, to keep you safe from disease
swelling of the nerves in your arms
slow heartbeat
heart rate of less than 100 bpm, may be happen with apnea or colour change.
slow breathing
Irregular or "practice" contractions starting around the eighth month that prepare your uterus for labour. Unlike true labour, Braxton Hicks contractions aren't painful and don't get stronger and closer over time.
machine designed to remove milk from a woman's breasts.
air that goes in and out of your body through your nose and mouth
to take air in and out of your body
a baby born feet or rear-end first
a lung disease that affects your airways (tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs). They become stretched or wider and damaged.
small breathing tubes in your lungs
swelling of the breathing tubes in your lungs
when the breathing tubes in your lungs get narrow
medication, drug, that helps you breathe easier
premature infant's chronic lung disease usually caused by mechanical ventilation and lung infections.
a test to see inside your airways
a tool called a bronchoscope is put into your nose or mouth. This lets the doctor see your airways. They look for things such as foreign bodies, bleeding, tumors, or inflammation. A specimen may also be taken from inside your lungs for testing.
tightening of the small breathing tubes in your lungs
a sudden, strong muscle tightening and opening of the airways in your lungs, that makes you cough
the tubes that let air go in and out of your lungs
swooshing sound in a blood vessel
you can hear the bruit or swooshing sound in you dialysis fistula or graft by putting your arm up to your ear or by using a stethoscope
clinching or grinding your teeth
side of your mouth, inside of your cheek
when your heart's electrical system doesn't work the way it should
a condition in which there's a delay or obstruction along the pathway that electrical impulses travel to make your heart beat
a bony bump that forms where your big toe attaches to the rest of your foot
tiny pillow-like sac filled with fluid in your joints
thin, lubricated cushion located at points of friction between a bone and the surrounding soft tissue, such as skin, muscles, ligaments and tendons
swollen, painful joints, condition that causes joint pain
backside, rear end, bottom
