Health Glossary

Surgeon in blue and white scrubs, seated

Common Health Terms Glossary

Abrasion: A scrape that typically only affects the skin and can usually be treated at home.

Abscess: A tender, pus-filled pocket usually due to infection.

Acute: Patient with a sudden flare-up or potentially severe issue who needs immediate care.

Aneurysm: A bulge in the wall of an artery that weakens the artery and can lead to rupture.

Angina: Pain in the chest related to the heart that comes and goes

Anti-inflammatory: Reduces swelling, pain, and soreness (such as ibuprofen or naproxen)

Aortic dissection: A tear in the inner layer of the aorta.

Atrial fibrillation: An uncoordinated, quivering movement of the heart muscle resulting in an irregular pulse and poor blood flow.

Benign: Usually in reference to tumors or growth, meaning not cancerous or malignant.

Biopsy: A small sample of tissue that’s taken for testing to discover the cause or extent of a disease.

Blood culture: A test used to find any unusual bacteria or fungi in a patient’s blood.

Blood gas: A test to show the gas-phase components of blood including oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH balance, etc.

Blood pressure: Measure of how well the blood is circulating. Normal blood pressure measure about 120/80 for adults.

Blood swab: A blood sample taken with a cotton-tipped stick.

Body Mass Index (BMI): Body fat measurement based on height and weight

Bowel disimpaction: Manual removal of hardened fecal matter from a patient's rectum.

Bradycardia: A slowing of the heart rate—typically less than 60 beats per minute for adults.

Cancer: Collection of related diseases where some of the body’s cells multiply out of control spreading into surrounding tissues and interfering with normal body function.

Cellulitis: Inflamed or infected tissue beneath the skin

Central line: Catheter placed in a large vein that allows multiple IV fluids to be given and blood to be drawn more easily.

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA): Commonly called a stroke. Occurs when the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen by either a blockage or the rupture of a blood vessel.

Chronic: Signifies a recurring, persistent condition like heart disease.

Compound fracture: Broken bone that protrudes through the skin

Contusion: A bruise typically from impact or force.

Critical: Patient’s vital signs are out of the normal range and patient may be unconscious.

C-section: Shorthand for cesarean section the surgical delivery of a baby through the abdominal wall.

Cyanosis: Condition resulting bluish skin, stems from lack of oxygen in the blood.

Defibrillator: A medical device that uses electric shocks to restore normal heartbeat.

Diagnosis: Identification of a condition, disease or disorder by evaluation of symptoms, tests and other factors.

Dialysis: Procedure to filter blood for patients with kidney failure.

Edema: Swelling caused by fluid accumulation.

Embolism: Blood clot

Embolus: A blood clot, air bubble or other obstruction blocking blood flow in the affected blood vessel.

Endoscope: A long flexible tube with its own special lighting and camera used to look into the body. There are many specific kinds of endoscopes.

Epidermis: The outer layer of the skin.

Epidural: An injection of a local anesthetic to the lumbar level of the spin often used to relieve pain during labor.

Fluoroscope: An X-ray machine—can be used for still images or in motion, like an animation created by x-ray images.

Foley: An indwelling catheter. A thin flexible tube inserted into the urethra to drain the bladder.

Fracture: Broken bone ranging from a crack to a complete break.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): Heartburn

Gland: An organ or tissue that produces and secretes fluids that serve a specific function.

Hypertension: High blood pressure.

Hypotension: Abnormally low blood pressure.

In remission: Disease is not getting worse; not to be confused with being cured

Inpatient: A patient who requires hospitalization.

Intravenous (IV): Indicates medication or fluid given through the vein.

Intubation: Insertion of an endotracheal tube to assist patient breathing.

Ischemia: Characterized by a lack of blood flow to an organ or part of the body. Often refers to the heart-cardiac ischemia.

Laparotomy: Any surgery involving an incision in the abdominal wall.

Lesion: Wound, sore, or cut

Lumbar puncture: Withdrawal of cerebrospinal fluid through a hollow needle inserted into the lumbar region. Also referred to as a spinal tap.

Malignant: Indicates the presence of cancerous cells.

Membrane: Thin layer of pliable tissue that serves as a covering or lining or connection between two structures

Myocardial infarction: When an arterial blockage or slow blood flow deprives the heart of blood. Known more commonly as a heart attack.

Neutrophils: Most common type of white blood cell

Noninvasive: Doesn’t require entering the body with instruments; usually simple

Normal sinus rhythm: A normal heartbeat pattern, usually is between 60 and 80 beats per minute in an adult.

Observation: A temporary status that allows patients to continue receiving care for a set amount of time in the hospital while the physician determines whether admission or discharge is best.

Outpatient: Status of a patient who is not admitted to a hospital for overnight care. This can include clinic visits, same-day surgeries, and one-day emergency room visits.

Pericardial effusion: Blood or fluid leaking into the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart.

Polyp: Mass or growth of thin tissue

Prognosis: The predicated outcome of disease progression and treatment.

Puls/ox: Pulse oximetry, a measure of oxygen saturation in blood.

Pulse: Measure of a pulsating artery.

Relapse: Return of disease or symptoms after a patient has recovered.

Sepsis: A serious condition caused the body’s response to severe infection. Occurs when the body’s infection-fighting response gets out of balance and can lead to severe issues like organ failure.

Sternotomy: Surgical opening of the breastbone.

Stethoscope: A small instrument used for listening to a patient’s breathing and heartbeat.

Sublingual: Meaning “below the tongue,” typically seen with medication that is administered by dissolving it under the patients’ tongue.

Sutures: Stitches, which are used to join tissues together as they heal.

Tension pneumothorax: A collapsed lung that occurs when air leaks into the space between the lungs and the chest wall.

Thoracotomy: Surgery on the chest cavity.

Thrombosis: A blood clot within a blood vessel that affects normal blood flow.

Tox screen: Toxicological analysis of the blood. Ordered when a drug overdose is suspected, and the drugs need to be identified.

Transplant: The removal of an organ or tissue from one body that is implanted into another.

Tumor: A swelling or mass, often used in relation to cancer.

Ultrasound: A form of diagnostic imaging that uses high-frequency sound waves.

Vaccine: A substance that stimulates antibody production to provide immunity against disease.

Venipuncture: The drawing of blood from a vein.

Zoonotic disease: A disease that is transmissible from animals to humans.

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Health Glossary

Common Health Terms Glossary