Adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus: a cancer that starts in the gland cells that make mucus in the lining of the oesophagus. Adenocarcinomas are found mainly in the lower third of the oesophagus. This type of cancer is most associated with acid reflux.
Anaemia: a deficiency of red cells in the blood
Aneurysm: an abnormal weakness in the wall of an artery. When they rupture in the arterial circulation of the brain they can cause a stroke that can be fatal. In the thoracic aorta, aneurysms can be associated with inherited conditions like Marfan’s syndrome and with hypertension. Aneurysms in the abdominal aorta are often associated with smoking.
Angina (also known as angina pectoris): chest pain caused by lack of oxygen flow to the heart
Apnoea: a sleep condition where no breathing occurs for short periods
Asystole (also known as ‘flatlining’): when the heart shows no electrical activity and ceases to pump blood
Autosomal dominant: a gene mutation that can be passed on by only one parent
Bacterial endocarditis: a bacterial infection that affects the heart valves, most commonly those on the left side of the heart—the mitral and aortic valves. Associated with the deposition of infective material on the valves themselves, which are commonly referred to as vegetations.
Body Mass Index (BMI): a measure of weight adjusted for height, calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared (kg/m2)
Bolus: administration of a small amount of a drug
Bilirubin: a substance created by the breakdown of red blood cells; it is usually excreted by the liver
Bronchiolitis: inflammation of the small airways in the lungs caused by a viral infection most commonly occurring in infants
Bubble CPAP (Continuous positive airway pressure): a non-invasive system that assists new-born babies to breathe
Cardiac arrest: a sudden stop in circulation and the forward flow of blood out of the heart to the body, caused by ventricular fibrillation—an abnormal rhythm of the heart—or asystole, when there is no electrical activity in the heart and therefore no muscle contraction
Cardioplegia: a solution administered to stop the heart during surgery
Cellulitis: a bacterial infection of the skin and the tissues beneath the skin
Cholera: a bacterial infection of the small intestine that causes severe diarrhoea
Cholecystitis: an inflammation of the gallbladder usually because of an obstruction to the flow of bile, caused by a gallstone
Creatinine: a by-product of muscle metabolism that is usually removed from the body by the kidneys
CT (computerised tomography) scan: numerous X-ray images combined to create a full picture of the scanned object
Dialysis: a life-support treatment that uses a machine to filter harmful wastes, salt, and excess fluid from blood, thereby restoring it to a healthy balance. Dialysis replaces many of the kidney’s important functions.
Directed donation: when friends or relatives donate blood, an organ or tissue to a specified intended recipient
Electrocardiogram (ECG): a test that measures the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time
Epiglottitis: an inflammation of the epiglottis
Gelfoam: an absorbable gelatine powder used to stem bleeding
Glasgow Coma Scale: a scale which physicians use to measure a patient’s level of consciousness
Glomerulus: part of the nephron in the kidney; this cluster of capillaries is where blood is initially filtered removing plasma, water, electrolytes, proteins and waste products
Heart attack (also known as myocardial infarction): caused by a blockage in the flow of oxygenated blood within the coronary arteries that supply the heart. A heart attack is usually signalled by chest pain, profuse sweating, sometimes nausea and a heavy crushing pain in the chest. This pain can also radiate to the left shoulder and arm. A heart attack can lead to an abnormal heart rhythm and result in a cardiac arrest.
HELLP syndrome: a condition in pregnancy related to pre-eclampsia, whose name is an acronym of its three main features: haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count
Homeostasis: a term to describe the property of a system in which variables are regulated so that internal conditions remain stable and relatively constant
Hyperglycaemia: abnormally high level of glucose in the blood
Hypertrophy: Cardiac hypertrophy is a thickening of the heart muscle (myocardium) which results in a decrease in size of the chamber of the heart, including the left and right ventricles. A common cause of cardiac hypertrophy is high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart valve stenosis.
Hypoxaemia: abnormally low levels of oxygen in the blood
Internal jugular vein: drains blood from the brain, face, and neck. Two of these veins lie along each side of the neck. These veins carry oxygen-depleted blood from the brain, face, and neck, and transport it to the heart. A favoured site for insertion of large bore intravenous lines to administer drugs, for temporary dialysis and also to provide intravenous nutrition.
Intracranial pressure: pressure inside the skull, in brain tissue and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which surrounds the brain
Ischaemic heart disease: narrowing of the arteries that take blood and oxygen to the heart, thereby preventing it from working properly
Mastitis: an inflammation of breast tissue often caused by blocked milk ducts that can result in infection, usually with a bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus
Meningococcal disease: a bacterial infection that can be the pre-cursor to septicaemia (blood infection) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes covering the brain)
Myocardial infarction: see ‘heart attack’
Nasogastric tube: a tube that is inserted through the nose, down the back of the throat and into the stomach. Commonly inserted to deflate and empty the stomach prior to airway manoeuvres; to help sick children breathe more effectively; and to supply nutrients to a patient who cannot eat.
Nephron: The functional unit of the kidney comprised of the glomerulus and a series of tubules
Noradrenaline: a medication to improve a patient’s blood pressure and cardiac function
Obstructive sleep apnoea: a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep
Oximeter: a device that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood usually via a finger probe
Petechial rash: tiny spots on the skin caused by bleeding as a result of low platelets in blood and, sometimes, fragile capillaries. Petechial haemorrhages are commonly present in those with meningococcal disease.
Polyphagia: an obsessive desire to eat
Prader-Willi Syndrome: a complex genetic condition, characterized in infancy by weak muscle tone (hypotonia), feeding difficulties, poor growth, and delayed development. In childhood, affected individuals develop an insatiable appetite, which leads to chronic overeating (hyperphagia) and obesity.
Pulmonary hypertension: a type of high blood pressure that affects arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. In one form, tiny arteries in the lungs, called pulmonary arterioles, and capillaries become narrowed, blocked or destroyed. This raises the pressure within the lungs’ arteries, causing the heart’s right ventricle to work harder to pump blood through the lungs, eventually causing the heart muscle to weaken and fail.
Purpura fulmimans: a complication of severe infection that leads to a loss of blood supply to the toes, fingers, and sometimes limbs. Caused by the abnormal formation of clots in the small vessels of the body.
Renal failure: the failure of the kidneys to adequately dispose of waste products
Retroperitoneum: the area of the abdomen that lies behind the kidneys, just below the ribs. Home to the kidneys, pancreas and huge blood vessels and nerves.
Rheumatic disease: a group of conditions that affect the joints and/or connective tissue causing chronic pain
Rheumatic fever: caused by streptococcal infection, an acute fever that causes inflammation and pain in the joints, and long-term damage to heart valves. As a result, bacterial endocarditis—bacterial infection of the heart valves—can occur. This can destroy the heart valves and cause both heart failure and stroke as a result of infected debris flying off the valves and blocking small vessels in the brain.
Shock: a life-threatening condition that results in inadequate flow of blood and oxygen to the tissues of the body. Massive haemorrhage and severe infection are two common causes of shock.
Stridor: a high-pitched noise from the lungs that indicates narrowing of the airway
Tetralogy of Fallot: a congenital malformation of the heart that consists of four structural defects
Thyroxine: a hormone secreted by the thyroid gland, which is primarily responsible for metabolism
Tracheostomy: a procedure where an incision is made into the trachea (windpipe) to insert a breathing tube to restore breathing when there has been a problem with the airway
Tubule: the tiny canals within the kidney that carry the fluid that is initially filtrated by the glomerulus and which eventually ends up as urine