Biology 170: Human Pathophysiology -- Instructor: Lynda C. Titterington
Glossary
Would you believe that the vocabulary required for Bio. 170 is almost as much as you would have to learn for an introductory course in a foreign language? With that in mind, we are building our own dictionary that defines medical terms in everyday language you can use to explain things to your patients.
Most of these words don't have a definition... yet. Your homework is to choose a few terms and jot down an easy-to-understand definition. Then please send it to me for extra journal points.
-- A-H --
- Acute disease
- Diseases that have sudden onset and don't last very long. Most infectious diseases, such as colds and flu are examples of acute diseases.
- Adaptation
- Anorexia
- Anuria
- Arthralgia
- Atrophy
- A fancy word for the "use it or lose it" principle. Body structures become smaller due to lack of use or stimulation.
- Bradycardia
- Cardiomegaly
- Chronic disease
- Diseases that typically develop over time and don't go away. Diabetes and arthritis are examples of chronic diseases.
- Cough
- Diagnostic and laboratory tests
- Visit my page for more information.
- Differentiation
- A process that occurs when immature cells cease dividing and assume a specific function, such as secreting mucous or contraction.
- Diplopia
- Disease
- A disturbance in the function or structure of any part of the body that happens when homeostasis and adaptation fail to compensate for stress.
- Dizziness
- Dysphagia
- Dysplasia
- Replacement of normal cells by abnormal cells. A precancerous condition.
- Dyspnea
- Dysuria
- Edema
- Emesis
- Vomiting.
- Erythema
- Redness.
- Etiology
- The cause of a disease.
- Fever
- Increased body temperature.
- HEENT
- Head, eyes, ears, neck and throat exam.
- Hepatomegaly
- Enlarged liver. (hepato= liver, mega= large)
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- Enlarged liver & spleen. (hepato= liver, mega= large)
- Homeostasis
- Hyperreflexia
- Overactive, or exaggerated reflexes.
- Hyperplasia
- Increased cell numbers cause a tissue to get bigger. Examples include increased bone marrow to replace abnormally destruction of RBC and an enlarged thyroid gland due to overstimulation.
- Hypertension
- High blood pressure.
- Hypertrophy
- An increase in cell size causes a tissue to become bigger. Examples include the large skeletal muscles of body builders and the enlargement seen in overworked hearts.
- Hypoxia
- A general state of low oxygen in the blood.
- Hypotension
- Low blood pressure.
-- I-M --
- Idiopathic
- Refers to diseases of unknown causes. One way to remember this term is to think, "he idiot doesn't know."
- Illness
- Infarction
- Death of a tissue from prolonged lack of oxygen (a heart attack is called a myocardial infarction)
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Incontinence
- Insomnia
- Inability to sleep.
- Ischemia
- Lack of blood supply to a tissue.
- Lacrimation
- Lymphadenopathy
- Malaise
- A general term for feeling lousy.
- Metaplasia
- An adaptation where one normal cell type is replaced by a different cell type that is better able to withstand stress. For example, chronic bronchitis may occur in smokers when the ciliated columnar cells of the trachea become replaced by stratified squamous epithelial cells in response to the chronic irritation of tobacco smoke. The stratified squamous cells are better able to survive the irritation, but they do not have the mucociliary function.
- Meiosis
- Reproductive cell division that results in egg & sperm.
- Miosis
- Mitosis
- Process of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells.
- Murmur
- Myalgia
- Muscle aches. (my= muscle, algia = pain)
- Mydriasis
-- N-S --
- Nausea
- Necrosis
- Visible signs of cell death.
- Negative feedback
- Neoplasia
- (new growth) Refers to a cancerous condition when cells lose their normal control over division.
- Nystagmus
- Oligouria
- Decreased urine output. (oligo = little, small, or short)
- Otalgia
- Ear-ache (ot = ear, algia= pain)
- Palpitations
- Sudden, rapid heart beat.
- Pathophysiology
- The study of disordered functions or altered functions by disease.
- Polyuria
- Frequent urination.
- Positive feedback
- Rales
- Rhinorrhea
- Runny nose.
- Signs
- Splenomegaly
- Enlarged spleen.
- Strabismus
- Stridor
- Symptoms
- Syncope
- Fainting.
-- T-Z --
- Tachycardia
- Rapid heart rate.
- Tachypnea
- Rapid breathing.
- Thyromegaly (goiter)
- Enlarged thyroid gland.
- Tinnitis
- Ringing in the ears.
- Wheeze