Ethics Committee Core Curriculum
Glossary: Medical Terms
Bogda Koczwara
Abortion
termination of pregnancy prior to the stage of viability
Anemia
blood condition characterized by a low level of hemoglobin
Anesthesia
a state characterized by a loss of sensation, usually achieved by
administration of drugs either systematically or locally
Aneurysm
dilatation(outpouching) of an organ, most frequently aorta
Anorexia
loss of appetite
Aphasia
neurological condition characterized by a loss of speech
Arrhythmia
irregularity of a rhythm
Ascites
accumulation of fluid inside abdominal cavity
Atrophy
wasting of an organ or tissue
Autopsy
examination of organs of a dead body, post mortem
Brain death
permanent loss of brain function in the presence of cardiac activity;
(legal and clinical) determination of death by whole brain criteria
Cachexia
generalized wasting, usually in a course of a chronic illness
Cardiopulmonary and resuscitation (CPR)
restoration of heart beat, heart pumping action respiration through the
use of artificial respiration and closed cardiac massage
Cardioversion
restoration of heart rhythm through electrical countershock
Cirrhosis
progressive disease of the liver characterized by global damage and
fibrosis of the tissue
Death
cessation of life, manifested by loss of heart beat, respiration and brain
death
Decubitus
position of a patient in bed, usually referred to as "decubitus ulcer"
Defibrillation
arrest of fibrillation of cardiac muscle, usually by an electrical shock
Delirium
temporary state of clouded consciousness manifested by confusion, loss of
attention, disordered thinking, disordered perception and sleep wake cycle
Dyspnea
shortness of breath
Eclampsia
convulsions, not attributable to epilepsy, in a pregnant woman with
pre-eclampsia (hypertension, proteinura, edema)
Embolism
occlusion of a vessel by a piece of clot, mass of bacteria or air
Endoscopy
examination of an interior of an organ by an instrument (endoscope)
Gangrene
necrosis due to loss of blood supply
Heart block
abnormal rhythm of the heart characterized by a block of cardiac
conduction
Hematemesis
vomiting of blood
Hemiparesis
weakness of half of the body
Hemiplegia
paralysis of half of the body
Hemodialysis
a procedure performed to remove toxic waste from the blood
of patients with renal failure by diffusion through semipermeable
membranes of a dialysis machine
Hemoptysis
coughing up of blood
Intubation
insertion of a tube into air passages to maintain ventilation
Iatrogenic disease
induced by the treatment itself
Necrosis
death of cells
Neuropathy
any disease affecting nerves
Nosocomial
hospital acquired (usually referr
Opiate
derivative of opium
Pacemaker
artificial regulator of rate of heart
Paraplegia
paralysis of both lower extremities
Peritonitis
infection or inflammation of peritoneum (lining of abdominal cavity)
Persistent vegetative state (PVS)
state of total unconsciousness, with an absence of any awareness of self,
others or environment, that is likely (virtually certain etc.) permanent
with preserved outward signs of sleep/wake cycles
Quadriplegia
paralysis of arms and legs
Stenosis
narrowing
Tachycardia
rapid heart beat
Uremia
excess of urea, usually secondary to kidney failure
Ventilation
respiration
EKG
electrocardiogram - tracing of electrical activity of the heart
EEG
electroencecephalogram - tracing of electrical activity of the brain
ECT
electroconvulsive therapy
DNR
Do Not Resuscitate
ICU
Intensive Care Unit
MI
myocardial infarction(heart attack) or alternative mitral incompetence
(leakage of mitral valve in the heart)
PVS
persistent vegetative state
TIA
transient ischemic attacks, brief states of neurological dysfunction
caused by a transient lack of blood supply to the brain
COPD
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CHF
congestive cardiac failure
CABG
coronary artery bypass graft
COPYRIGHT © 1997, UB Center for Clinical Ethics and Humanities in
Health Care
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Last Revised 3/7/97