Additional Medical Vocabulary Terms and Phrases

Additional Medical Vocabulary Terms and Phrases:

Pulmonary embolism

Blood clot or fat cells (rarely) in one of the arteries carrying blood to the lungs. Blood clot begins in a deep vein of the leg or pelvis. Fat embolus usually begins at a fracture site. Embolus moves through the blood, passing through the heart and lodging in the branch of an artery that nourishes the lungs. This blockage decreases breathing ability and sometimes destroys lung tissue.

Radiation therapy (Radiotherapy)

Use of high-energy waves, generated by special X-ray

machines, cobalt machines and other devices, to treat some forms of cancer. Radiation destroys cancerous tissue, but does little harm to healthy tissue

Rheumatic fever

Inflammatory complication of Group-A strepococcal infections that affects many parts of the body, especially joints and the heart. Strep infections are contagious, but rheumatic fever is not.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Illness characterized by joint disease that involves muscles, cartilage and

membrane linings of the joints. Three times more common in women than men. Symptoms include red, warm, painful joints. Sometimes accompanied by weakness and fatigue. If disease is severe, permanent deformity and crippling may result.

Scan

Shortened form of scintiscan, a diagnostic procedure using a scintillation camera to record images of various parts of the body following injection of appropriate radioactive substances. This is a major tool for establishing precise diagnoses

Stroke (Cerebrovascular accident; CVA)

Sudden decrease in the blood supply to part of the brain, damaging the area so it cannot function normally. Decreased blood flow can be caused by a narrowed or closed-off artery, a blood clot or other embolus blocking the blood vessel, bleeding into the brain due to a ruptured blood vessel or rupture of an aneurysm in the brain. Symptoms may include inability to speak, inability to move part of the body, uncoordination of certain muscles, headache, vision disturbance, loss of consciousness, confusion, loss of bowel and bladder control. Complete recovery is possible, but often permanent damage and disability or death occur

Tachycardia

Heartbeat that is too fast.

Thrombophlebitis (superficial)

Inflammation and small blood clots in a vein near the body surface.

Usually caused by infection or injury. Often occurs in the legs. This type of inflammation seldom causes clots to break loose and flow in the bloodstream, as does deep-vein thrombosis. Symptoms include hardness of the vein involved (feels like a cord), redness and tenderness in the affected area, and

sometimes fever. Usually curable in 2 weeks with rest, elastic bandages on affected leg and medication to relieve inflammation and pain

Toxic-shock syndrome

Disease characterized by sudden onset of fever, diarrhea, vomiting, sore

throat, aching muscles, falling blood pressure and skin rash on palms and soles of the feet. Has been

reported most often as occurring in women who use super-absorbent tampons during menstrual periods.

The germ that causes the disease is normally found in the nose, mouth and vagina.

Transient ischemic attacks (TIA)

Temporary decrease in blood supply to part of the brain. The

affected part of the brain is temporarily unable to function normally

Valvular heart disease

Complication of diseases that distort or destroy heart valves. The heart has

four valves. Valvular heart disease can be narrowed valves (stenosis) that obstruct blood flow or widened or scarred valves that allow blood to leak backward into the heart (insufficiency or regurgitation). Disorder may be inherited or caused by another disease, such as rheumatic fever,

hypertension, atherosclerosis, endocarditis or syphilis (rarely). Disease outcome depends on the underlying condition. Many complications and symptoms can be controlled with medication or cured with surgery.