Hypercalcemia (Elevated Calcium Levels) Glossary of Terms

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Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

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

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

Adenoma: A benign tumor that arises in or resembles glandular tissue. If an adenoma become...

Anterior: The front, as opposed to the posterior. The anterior surface of the heart is tow...

Benign: Not malignant. A benign tumor is one that does not invade surrounding tissue or sp...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breast cancer: Breast cancer is diagnosed with self- and physician-examination of the brea...

Calcitonin: A hormone produced by the thyroid gland that lowers the levels of calcium and ...

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is ...

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

Chronicity: The state of being chronic, having a long duration.

Coma: A state of deep, unarousable unconsciousness. A coma may occur as a result of head t...

Constipation: Infrequent and frequently incomplete bowel movements. Constipation is the op...

Contraction: The tightening and shortening of a muscle.

Dementia: Significant loss of intellectual abilities, such as memory capacity, that is sev...

Depression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way...

Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

Dialysis: The process of cleansing the blood by passing it through a special machine. Dial...

Electrocardiogram: A recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Abbreviated ECG an...

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

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

Gland: A group of cells that secrete a substance for use in the body. For example, the thy...

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

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

Hypercalcemia: A higher-than-normal level of calcium in the blood. Hypercalcemia can be a ...

Hyperparathyroidism: Too much parathyroid hormone resulting in abnormally high levels of ...

Hyperplasia: An increase in the number of normal cells in a tissue or an organ. Hyperplasi...

Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar (glucose). Hypoglycemia may be associated with symptoms such...

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

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

Lung cancer: Cancer of the major organ of respiration - the lung. Lung cancer kills more m...

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

Lymph node: One of many small, bean-shaped organs located throughout the lymphatic system....

Malignancy: A tumor that is malignant (cancerous), that can invade and destroy nearby tiss...

Memory: 1. The ability to recover information about past events or knowledge. ...

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

Multiple myeloma: A bone marrow cancer that involves a type of white blood cell called a p...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Myeloma: A tumor of antibody-producing cells, called plasma cells, that are normally foun...

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Nerve: A bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory an...

Node: Literally a knot, a node is a collection of tissue. For example a lymph node, is a ...

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

Parathyroid adenoma: A small tumor of the parathyroid gland and the most common disorder o...

Parathyroid hormone: See Parathormone.

Peptic ulcer: An ulcer in the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. Peptic ulcers...

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

Spine: 1) The column of bone known as the vertebral column, which surrounds and protects ...

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

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

Thyroid gland: A gland that makes and stores hormones that help regulate the heart rate, b...

Thyroid hormone: A chemical substance made by the thyroid gland for export into the bloods...

Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be ...

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

Urinalysis: A test that is done in order to analyze urine. Because toxins and excess fluid...

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

Vitamin D: A steroid vitamin which promotes the intestinal absorption and metabolism of ca...

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