Anemia Glossary of Terms

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Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Absorb: 1. To take something in, as through the skin or the intestine.
2....

Absorption: Uptake. For example, intestinal absorption is the uptake of food (or other sub...

Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness th...

Alcoholism: Physical dependence on alcohol to the extent that stopping alcohol use would b...

Anemia: The condition of having a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells or quantity ...

Anemic: Relating to anemia, the condition of having less than the normal number of red blo...

Angina: Chest pain due to an inadequate supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. The pain is ...

Antifungal: A medication that limits or prevents the growth of yeasts and other fungal org...

Antihistamines: Drugs that combat the histamine released during an allergic reaction by bl...

Aplastic anemia: Anemia due to failure of the bone marrow to produce red and white blood c...

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Autoimmune: Pertaining to autoimmunity, a misdirected immune response that occurs when the...

Bilirubin: A yellow-orange compound that is produced by the breakdown of hemoglobin from r...

Biopsy: The removal of a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope to check for ...

Blood count: The calculated number of white or red blood cells (WBCs or RBCs) in a cubic m...

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

Blood transfusion: The transfer of blood or blood components from one person (the donor) i...

Bone marrow: The soft blood-forming tissue that fills the cavities of bones and contains f...

Bone marrow biopsy: The removal of a sample of bone marrow and a small amount of bone thro...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

CBC: A commonly used abbreviation in medicine that stands for complete blood count, a set...

Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of any living thing. Each cell is a small c...

Chemotherapy: 1. In the original sense, a chemical that binds to and specifically k...

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chest pain: Pain in the chest that can be a result of many things, including angina, heart...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Chronic disease: A disease that persists for a long time. A chronic disease is one lasting...

Colon: The long, coiled, tubelike organ that removes water from digested food. The remaini...

Colon cancer: A malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the large intestine (the co...

Complete blood count: A set values of the cellular (formed elements) of blood. These meas...

Dehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that ca...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

Dysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function.

Electrophoresis: A method used in clinical and research laboratories for separating molecu...

Elliptocytosis: A blood disorder characterized by elliptically shaped red blood cells with...

End stage: The last phase in the course of a progressive disease. As in end-stage liver di...

Enlarged spleen: Splenomegaly, or an enlargement of the spleen. This condition can occur w...

ESRD: End-stage renal disease.

Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including inform...

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

Ferritin: The major protein concerned with iron storage. The blood ferritin level serves a...

Folate: Folic acid, one of the B vitamins that is a key factor in the synthesis (the makin...

Folic acid: One of the B vitamins that is a key factor in the synthesis (the making) of nu...

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

Gastrointestinal tract: The stomach and intestines. Abbreviated GI tract.

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart attack: The death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. The loss of bloo...

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Heart murmur: An unusual, 'whooshing' heart sound that may be innocent or may reflect dise...

Heart rate: The number of heartbeats per unit of time, usually per minute. The heart rate ...

Heart valves: There are four heart valves. All are one-way valves. Blood entering the ...

Hematocrit: The proportion of the blood that consists of packed red blood cells. The hema...

Hemoglobin: The oxygen-carrying pigment and predominant protein in the red blood cells. He...

Hemoglobinuria: The presence of free hemoglobin in the urine, which may make the urine loo...

Hemolysis: The destruction of red blood cells which leads to the release of hemoglobin fro...

Hemolytic: Referring to hemolysis, the destruction of red blood cells which leads to the r...

Hemolytic anemia: Anemia due to the destruction, rather than underproduction, of red blood...

Hemorrhoids: Dilated (enlarged) veins in the walls of the anus and sometimes around the re...

Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, irrespective of the cause. Hepatitis is caused by a ...

Hepatomegaly: An abnormally enlarged liver. Hepatomegaly can be caused by heart failure, b...

Hereditary spherocytosis: A genetic disorder of the red blood cell membrane clinically c...

Hookworm: An intestinal parasite that usually causes diarrhea or cramps. Heavy infestation...

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit...

Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular ...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

Insecticide: A chemical used specifically to kill or control the growth of insects. Certa...

Iron: An essential mineral. Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen (via hemoglobin ...

Iron deficiency anemia: A common form of nutritional disorder, iron deficiency results in...

Jaundice: Yellow staining of the skin and sclerae (the whites of the eyes) by abnormally h...

Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

Leukemia: Cancer of the blood cells. Strictly speaking, leukemia should refer only to canc...

Lightheadedness: A feeling you are "going to faint." Lightheadedness is medically distinc...

Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

Liver disease: Liver disease refers to any disorder of the liver. The liver is a large org...

Low blood pressure: Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individua...

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

Lupus: A chronic inflammatory disease that is caused by autoimmunity. Patients with lupus ...

Lymph: The almost colorless fluid that travels through the lymphatic system, carrying cell...

Macrocytic: Literally, referring to any abnormally large cell; in practice, referring to a...

Malaria: An infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites from the Plasmodium family th...

Marrow: The bone marrow.

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may ...

Menstrual: Pertaining to menstruation (the menses), as in last menstrual period, menstrua...

Metabolic: Relating to metabolism, the whole range of biochemical processes that occur wit...

Microcytic: Literally, referring to any abnormally small cell; in practice, referring to a...

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

Molecule: The smallest unit of a substance that can exist alone and retain the character o...

Mononucleosis: Infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, human herpesvirus 4, HHV-4) in...

MPH: Master of public health, a degree designating successful training in analyzing past, ...

Murmur: A sound due to vibrations from the flow of blood through the heart or great vessel...

Nail: In medicine, there are two types of nails. One is just a plain old metal nail used t...

Nucleus: 1) In cell biology, the structure that houses the chromosomes. 2) In neuroanato...

Nutrition: 1) The science or practice of taking in and utilizing foods. 2) A nourishing ...

Occult: Hidden. For example, occult blood in the stool is hidden from the eye but can be d...

Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

Organ: A relatively independent part of the body that carries out one or more special func...

Outpatient: A patient who is not hospitalized, but instead comes to a physician?s office, ...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Palpitations: Unpleasant sensations of irregular and/or forceful beating of the heart. In ...

Parasitic: Having to do with a parasite, as in a parasitic infection; or acting like a par...

Penicillin: The most famous of all antibiotics, named for the fungal mold Penicillium n...

Peripheral: Situated away from the center, as opposed to centrally located.

Pernicious anemia: Low red blood cell count caused by inadequate vitamin B12. Abbreviated ...

Plasma: The liquid part of the blood and lymphatic fluid, which makes up about half of the...

Poisoning: Taking a substance that is injurious to health or can cause death. Poisoning i...

Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Protein: One of the three nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Protein...

Qualitative: Having to do with quality. In contrast to quantitative (which pertains to qua...

Quantitative: Having to do with quantity or with the amount.

RBC: Short for red blood cells, the cells that carry oxygen and carbon dioxide through the...

Red blood cell: The blood cell that carries oxygen. Red cells contain hemoglobin and it is...

Red blood cells: The blood cells that carry oxygen. Red cells contain hemoglobin and it is...

Renal: Having to do with the kidney. For example, renal cancer is cancer of the kidneys.

Reproduction: The production of offspring. Reproduction need not be sexual; for example, y...

Reticulocyte: A young red blood cell that usually remains in the bone marrow with only a f...

Reticulocyte count: The number of reticulocytes (young red blood cells) circulating in blo...

Rupture: A break or tear in any organ (such as the spleen) or soft tissue (such as the ach...

Seizure: Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain, which may produce a physical conv...

Serum: The clear liquid that can be separated from clotted blood. Serum differs from plas...

Shortness of breath: Difficulty in breathing. Medically referred to as dyspnea. Shortness ...

Sickle cell anemia: A genetic blood disease due to the presence of an abnormal form of hem...

Spleen: An organ that is located in the upper-left part of the abdomen, not far from the s...

Splenomegaly: Abnormal enlargement of the spleen. Splenomegaly is a sign of an underlying ...

Stage: As regards cancer, the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spre...

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

Stool: The solid matter that is discharged in a bowel movement.

Stool occult blood test: A test to see whether there is blood in the bowel movement. Also...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

Thalassemia: A group of genetic disorders that involve underproduction of hemoglobin, the ...

Thalassemia major: The dire disease also known as beta thalassemia. The clinical picture o...

Thalassemia minor: Also called thalassemia trait, thalassemia minor is the carrier state f...

Thyroid: 1. The thyroid gland. Also, pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. A p...

Tired: A feeling of a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment,...

Toxicity: The degree to which a substance (a toxin or poison) can harm humans or animals. ...

Transferrin: A plasma protein that transports iron through the blood to the liver, spleen ...

Transfusion: The transfer of blood or blood products from one person (the donor) into the ...

Transplant: The grafting of a tissue from one place to another, just as in botany a bu...

Ulcer: A lesion that is eroding away the skin or mucous membrane. Ulcers can have various ...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Uterine cancer: A malignant tumor of the uterus (womb), which occurs most often in women b...

Viral: Of or pertaining to a virus. For example, if a person has a viral rash, the rash wa...

Viral hepatitis: Liver inflammation caused by a virus. Specific hepatitis viruses have bee...

Vitamin B12: A vitamin important for the normal formation of red blood cells and the healt...

Vitamins: The word "vitamin" was coined in 1911 by the Warsaw-born biochemist Casimir Funk...