50 NURSING TERMS

1. Anaemia
A decrease in the concentration of red blood cells or of Haemoglobin in the blood.
May cause pallor (paleness) of the skin.
2. Allergy
Sensitivity to a foreign subtance, resulting in a physical reaction such as rush or hay
fever.
3. Afebrile
Without fever. As opposed to febrile.
4. Anorexia
Loss of appetide
5. Anoxia
Without oxygen
6. Angina
Cardiac pain due to poor blood supply to the heart
7. Antibody
A subtance produced by the immune system to fight invading organisms such as
viruses
8. Antidepressant
Prescribed used to treat depression
9. Antibiotik
A drugs that destroys bacteria
10. Asthma
A lung disease characterised by difficulty in breathing and by coughing and wheezing
11. Ataxia
A jerky unsteadiness of the limbs and body due to disease on particular part of brain
12. Arrest
used in medical sense, this means a cessation of bodily activity (for example, cardiac
arrest means that the heart has stopped beating and respiratory arrest means cessation
of breathing)
13. Addison's disease (Adrenal insufficiency)
Condition caused by inactive or underactive adrenal glands. Symptoms include
weakness, low blood pressure, behavior changes, abdominal pain, diarrhea,appetite
loss and brown skin.
14. Adenoma
Benign tumor of glandular cells. May cause excess hormone secretion by the affected
gland.
15. Acidocis
Pathologic condition resulting from accumulation of too much acid in the body
16. Adhesion
Small strands of fibrous tissue that cause organs in the abdomen and pelvis to cling
together abnormally, creating a risk of intestinal obstruction.
17. Aglutination
Clumping together.
18. Amine
Organic chemical compound containing nitrogen.
19. Antigens
Germs or other sources of disease that antibodies (produced by the immune
system)neutralize or destroy. See Antibodies.
20. Astigmatism
Visual impairment caused by abnormal eye shape
21. Autoimmune
Response directed against the body's own tissue
22. Atrophy
Wasting away; diminishing in size such as a cell, tissue, organ or part. May result
from disease, lack of use, aging or other influences.
23. Arrhythmias
Occasional or constant abnormalities in the rhythm of the heartbeat.
24. Aneurysme
Abnormal enlargement or ballooning of an artery. Caused by a weak artery wall.
25. Amyloid
Starchy substance
26. Biopsy
Removal of a small amount of tissue or fluid for laboratory examination; aids in
diagnosis.
27. Blastic phase
Immature stage of cell development
28. Bilirubin
Yellowish red blood cell waste product in bile the blood carries to the liver. It
contributes to the yellow color of urine. Can cause jaundice if it builds up in the
blood. Formed mainly by the breakdown of hemoglobin in red blood cells after the
end of their normal life span.
29. Bile Sand
Thickened, gritty bile excreted by the liver into the gallbladder and bile ducts. Bile
sand usually indicates the presence of infection of the gallbladder.
30. Bacteremia
Presence of bacterial germs in the bloodstream.
31. Bone Marrow
Specialized soft tissue that fills the core of bones. Most of the body's red and white
blood cells are produced in bone marrow.
32. Blood dyscrasias
Condition caused by or relating to disease in which any component of the blood is
abnormal or present in abnormal quantity.
33. Bone disorders
Any abnormality or disease of the bone or skeletal system.
34. Bronchial tubes
Hollow air passageways that branch from the windpipe (trachea) into the
lungs. They carry oxygen into the lungs and pass waste gases (mostly carbon dioxide)
out of the body.
35. Brain Infarction
Localized area of brain tissue death resulting from lack of oxygen to that area because
of an interruption in blood supply. Severity of symptoms following brain infarction
depends on the location of the infarct and the extent of damage. See Infarction.
36. Carcicoma
Malignant tumor that tends to invade surrounding tissue; it may travel to distant
regions of the body. Also see Cancer.
37. Cervix
Lower third of the uterus, which protrudes into the vagina.
38. Dermatitis
Inflammatory condition of the skin, characterized by redness and pain or itching. The
type of skin rash or lesions that occur may suggest a particular allergy, disease or
infection. The condition may be chronic or acute; treatment is specific to the cause.
39. Dialysis
Process of separating crystals and other substances in a solution by the difference in
their rate of diffusion through a semipermeable membrane.
40. Downs syndrom
Condition associated with a chromosome abnormality, usually trisomy of
chromosome 21. See Trisomy. Symptoms and findings include a small, flattened
skull, short, flat-bridged nose, an abnormal fold at the inner edge of the eyes, short
fingers and toes, and moderate to severe mental retardation.
41. Duodenal lesions
Abnormalities in the duodenum, such as ulcers, tumors or inflammatory reactions.
42. Embolus
Clot, foreign object, air, gas or a bit of tissue or fat that circulates in the bloodstream
until it becomes lodged in a blood vessel.
43. Esophagus
Hollow tube that provides passage from the back of the throat to the stomach.
44. Fibrin
Protein formed from fibrinogen by the action of blood clotting.
45. Gastrin
Hormone that stimulates the production of gastric acid or stomach acid.
46. Glycogen
Substance formed from glucose, stored chiefly in the liver. When the blood-sugar
level is too low, glycogen is converted back to glucose for the body to use as energy.
47. Gonadotropyn
Any hormone having a stimulating effect on the gonads.
48. Hemolysis
Process by which red blood cells breakdown and hemoglobin is released. Occurs
normally at the end of the life span of a red blood cell. It may also occur abnormally
with certain diseases or conditions such as hemolytic anemia. See Anemia, hemolytic.
49. Hemophilia
Inherited deficiency of a blood clotting factor that may result in bleeding
episodes.Characterized by bleeding into joints, muscles and skin, excessive bleeding
from minor cuts, nosebleeds and blood in urine.
50. Hepatitis
Inflammatory liver condition characterized by jaundice, enlarged liver, loss of
appetite,abdominal discomfort, abnormal liver function, dark urine and clay-colored
stool. See Jaundice. Can becaused by bacterial or viral infection, parasites, alcohol,
drugs or blood transfusions with incompatible