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| This glossary contains: 19186 medical terms |
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AIDS wasting syndrome
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AIDS wasting syndromeThe involuntary weight loss of 10% of baseline body weight plus either chronic diarrhea (two loose stools per day for more than 30 days) or chronic weakness and documented fever (for 30 days or more, intermittent or constant) in the absence of a concurrent illness or condition other than HIV infection that would explain the findings.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Baseline
1. Information gathered at the beginning of a study from which variations found in the study are measured. 2. A known value or quantity with which an unknown is compared when measured or assessed. 3. The initial time point in a clinical trial, just before a participant starts to receive the experimental treatment which is being tested. At this reference point, measurable values such as CD4 count are recorded. Safety and efficacy of a drug are often determined by monitoring changes from the baseline values.
Chronic
Ongoing or recurring. Chronic medical conditions include diabetes, epilepsy, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Diarrhea
Passage of excessively liquid or excessively frequent stools.
Fever
When body temperature rises above its normal level - defined as 98.6 degrees F, though it varies by individual and time of day. A fever is the sign of an immune system at work and usually indicates an infection.
Condition
The term "condition" has a number of biomedical meanings including the following: 1.An unhealthy state, such as in "this is a progressive condition." 2.A state of fitness, such as "getting into condition." 3.Something that is essential to the occurrence of something else; essentially a "precondition." 4.As a verb: to cause a change in something so that a response that was previously associated with a certain stimulus becomes associated with another stimulus; to condition a person, as in behavioral conditioning.
Infection
Anything that invades the body and reproduces. Infections can be bacteria, protozoa, fungi, or viruses. Bacteria and fungi are one celled creatures that cause many infections including strep throat, bladder infections, and some lung infections. Fungi cause “athlete’s foot” and thrush, an infection in the mouth. Protozoa are small organisms with many cells that can cause infections in the guts or in the lungs. Most healthy people do not get protozoal infections, but people with suppressed immune systems can. Viruses are not really organisms; they are tiny particles that can live only inside another cell. They reproduce by taking over a cell and causing that cell to make more virus particles, rather than doing what the cell is supposed to do. Viruses cause most colds and flu cases.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
AIDS
A medical condition where the immune system cannot function properly and protect the body from disease. As a result, the body cannot defend itself against infections (like pneumonia). Aids is caused by the Human Immunodifiency Virus (HIV). This virus is spread through direct contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected individual. High-risk activities include unprotected sexual intercourse and intravenous drug use (sharing needles). There is no cure for AIDS; however, research efforts are on going to develop a vaccine.
AIDS dementia complex
A brain disorder that occurs in people with AIDS that causes the loss of cognitive capacity, affecting the ability to function in a social or occupational setting. The exact mechanism by which HIV triggers the AIDS dementia complex has not been determined, but it may result from HIV infection of cells in the brain or from an inflammatory reaction to such an infection. The AIDS dementia complex is an AIDS-defining illness: one of the serious illnesses that occurs in HIV-positive individuals and a reason for an AIDS diagnosis according to the definition of AIDS by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention).
AIDS-related complex
A term used to describe people with HIV infection who have only mild symptoms of illness such as swollen lymph glands. The term is rarely used today.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
AHC
Alternating hemiplegia of childhood.
AHD
"Abbreviation for alveolar hydatid disease; American Hospital Directory; and atherosclerotic heart disease."
Aicardi syndrome
A genetic disorder characterized by the partial or complete agenesis of the corpus callosum (the structure that links the 2 hemispheres of the brain), infantile spasms (a characteristic form of childhood seizures), mental retardation, and an ocular (eye) abnormality called chorioretinal lacunae in which there are lacunae (holes) in the retina of the eye.
Aid, vibrotactile
See: Vibrotactile aid.
AIDS dementia complex
A brain disorder that occurs in people with AIDS that causes the loss of cognitive capacity, affecting the ability to function in a social or occupational setting. The exact mechanism by which HIV triggers the AIDS dementia complex has not been determined, but it may result from HIV infection of cells in the brain or from an inflammatory reaction to such an infection. The AIDS dementia complex is an AIDS-defining illness: one of the serious illnesses that occurs in HIV-positive individuals and a reason for an AIDS diagnosis according to the definition of AIDS by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention).
AIDS wasting syndrome
AIDS-related complex
A term used to describe people with HIV infection who have only mild symptoms of illness such as swollen lymph glands. The term is rarely used today.
Air bag
A bag that fills with air, designed for frontal impact crashes, the kind of crashes which account for more than half of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths. Air bags are designed to limit head and chest injuries. But they only supplement safety belts, they do not replace them.
Air travel with diabetes
Concern for patients with diabetes is flying with medications and supplies. Letters from doctors are not recommended since security has concerns that these may be easily forged.
Air-conditioner lung
A form of the sick building syndrome caused by organisms that contaminate humidifiers and the piping of air conditioner ducts. The air conditioner blows cold air containing spores of the organisms throughout the building.
Airway obstruction
Partial or complete blockage of the breathing tubes to the lungs. Obstruction of the airway can be due to different causes including foreign bodies, allergic reactions, infections, anatomical abnormalities and trauma.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Baseline
1. Information gathered at the beginning of a study from which variations found in the study are measured. 2. A known value or quantity with which an unknown is compared when measured or assessed. 3. The initial time point in a clinical trial, just before a participant starts to receive the experimental treatment which is being tested. At this reference point, measurable values such as CD4 count are recorded. Safety and efficacy of a drug are often determined by monitoring changes from the baseline values.
Chronic
Ongoing or recurring. Chronic medical conditions include diabetes, epilepsy, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Diarrhea
Passage of excessively liquid or excessively frequent stools.
Fever
When body temperature rises above its normal level - defined as 98.6 degrees F, though it varies by individual and time of day. A fever is the sign of an immune system at work and usually indicates an infection.
Condition
The term "condition" has a number of biomedical meanings including the following: 1.An unhealthy state, such as in "this is a progressive condition." 2.A state of fitness, such as "getting into condition." 3.Something that is essential to the occurrence of something else; essentially a "precondition." 4.As a verb: to cause a change in something so that a response that was previously associated with a certain stimulus becomes associated with another stimulus; to condition a person, as in behavioral conditioning.
Infection
Anything that invades the body and reproduces. Infections can be bacteria, protozoa, fungi, or viruses. Bacteria and fungi are one celled creatures that cause many infections including strep throat, bladder infections, and some lung infections. Fungi cause “athlete’s foot” and thrush, an infection in the mouth. Protozoa are small organisms with many cells that can cause infections in the guts or in the lungs. Most healthy people do not get protozoal infections, but people with suppressed immune systems can. Viruses are not really organisms; they are tiny particles that can live only inside another cell. They reproduce by taking over a cell and causing that cell to make more virus particles, rather than doing what the cell is supposed to do. Viruses cause most colds and flu cases.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
AIDS
A medical condition where the immune system cannot function properly and protect the body from disease. As a result, the body cannot defend itself against infections (like pneumonia). Aids is caused by the Human Immunodifiency Virus (HIV). This virus is spread through direct contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected individual. High-risk activities include unprotected sexual intercourse and intravenous drug use (sharing needles). There is no cure for AIDS; however, research efforts are on going to develop a vaccine.
AIDS dementia complex
A brain disorder that occurs in people with AIDS that causes the loss of cognitive capacity, affecting the ability to function in a social or occupational setting. The exact mechanism by which HIV triggers the AIDS dementia complex has not been determined, but it may result from HIV infection of cells in the brain or from an inflammatory reaction to such an infection. The AIDS dementia complex is an AIDS-defining illness: one of the serious illnesses that occurs in HIV-positive individuals and a reason for an AIDS diagnosis according to the definition of AIDS by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention).
AIDS-related complex
A term used to describe people with HIV infection who have only mild symptoms of illness such as swollen lymph glands. The term is rarely used today.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
AHC
Alternating hemiplegia of childhood.
AHD
"Abbreviation for alveolar hydatid disease; American Hospital Directory; and atherosclerotic heart disease."
Aicardi syndrome
A genetic disorder characterized by the partial or complete agenesis of the corpus callosum (the structure that links the 2 hemispheres of the brain), infantile spasms (a characteristic form of childhood seizures), mental retardation, and an ocular (eye) abnormality called chorioretinal lacunae in which there are lacunae (holes) in the retina of the eye.
Aid, vibrotactile
See: Vibrotactile aid.
AIDS dementia complex
A brain disorder that occurs in people with AIDS that causes the loss of cognitive capacity, affecting the ability to function in a social or occupational setting. The exact mechanism by which HIV triggers the AIDS dementia complex has not been determined, but it may result from HIV infection of cells in the brain or from an inflammatory reaction to such an infection. The AIDS dementia complex is an AIDS-defining illness: one of the serious illnesses that occurs in HIV-positive individuals and a reason for an AIDS diagnosis according to the definition of AIDS by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention).
AIDS wasting syndrome
AIDS-related complex
A term used to describe people with HIV infection who have only mild symptoms of illness such as swollen lymph glands. The term is rarely used today.
Air bag
A bag that fills with air, designed for frontal impact crashes, the kind of crashes which account for more than half of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths. Air bags are designed to limit head and chest injuries. But they only supplement safety belts, they do not replace them.
Air travel with diabetes
Concern for patients with diabetes is flying with medications and supplies. Letters from doctors are not recommended since security has concerns that these may be easily forged.
Air-conditioner lung
A form of the sick building syndrome caused by organisms that contaminate humidifiers and the piping of air conditioner ducts. The air conditioner blows cold air containing spores of the organisms throughout the building.
Airway obstruction
Partial or complete blockage of the breathing tubes to the lungs. Obstruction of the airway can be due to different causes including foreign bodies, allergic reactions, infections, anatomical abnormalities and trauma.
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This dictionary contains 19186 terms.
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