Hyperkalemia (High Blood Potassium) Glossary of Terms

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

Adrenal gland: A small gland located on top of the kidney. The adrenal glands produce horm...

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

Aldosterone: A hormone produced by the outer portion (cortex) of the adrenal gland. Aldost...

Angiotensin: A family of peptides that constrict blood vessels. Narrowing the diameter of ...

Bicarbonate: In medicine, bicarbonate usually refers to bicarbonate of soda (sodium bicarb...

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

Chronic renal failure: Now more commonly classified as chronic kidney disease and is liste...

Circulation: In medicine, the movement of fluid through the body in a regular or circuitou...

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

Diabetic ketoacidosis: High blood glucose with the presence of ketones in the urine and bl...

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

ECG: Electrocardiogram.

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

Epinephrine: A substance produced by the medulla (inside) of the adrenal gland. The name e...

Essential: In medicine, of unknown cause, as in essential hypertension (high blood pressur...

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

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

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

Glucose: The simple sugar that is the chief source of energy. Glucose is found in the bloo...

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

Hyperkalemia: Elevated potassium in the blood. Hyperkalemia can be caused by taking excess...

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

Insulin: A natural hormone made by the pancreas that controls the level of the sugar gluco...

Intensive care: See critical care.

Involuntary: Done other than in accordance with the conscious will of the individual. The ...

Ketoacidosis: A feature of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus characterized by a combination o...

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

Liter: A metric measure of capacity that is equal to the volume of 1 kilogram of water at ...

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

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

Neuromuscular: Pertaining to both nerves and muscles, as in neuromuscular blockade by an a...

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

Paralysis: Loss of voluntary movement (motor function). Paralysis that affects only one mu...

Potassium: The major positive ion (cation) found inside cells. The chemical notation for p...

Pulse: The rhythmic dilation of an artery that results from beating of the heart. Pulse is...

Receptor: 1. In cell biology, a structure on the surface of a cell (or inside a cel...

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

Rejection: In transplantation biology, when the body's immune system attacks transplanted ...

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

Rhabdomyolysis: A condition in which skeletal muscle is broken down, releasing muscle enzy...

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

Skeletal: Pertaining to the skeleton, the bones of the body that collectively provide the ...

Skeletal muscle: Along with smooth and cardiac muscle, one of the types of muscle tissue i...

Smooth muscle: Along with skeletal and cardiac muscle, one of the types of muscle tissue i...

Sodium: The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body. The ch...

Tiredness: See: Tired.

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

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

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

Urinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur...

Urinary tract: The organs of the body that produce, store, and discharge urine. These orga...

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

Voluntary: Done in accordance with the conscious will of the individual. The opposite of i...