Hypothyroidism Glossary of Terms

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Antithyroglobulin: An antibody directed against thyroglobulin which is a key protein in th...

Assay: An assay is an analysis done to determine:

1. The presence of a substance an...

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

Autoimmune disease: An illness that occurs when the body tissues are attacked by its own i...

Autoimmune thyroiditis: See: Hashimoto thyroiditis.

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

Cholesterol: The most common type of steroid in the body. Cholesterol has a reputation for...

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

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

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

Dysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function.

Endocrinology: The study of the medical aspects of hormones, including diseases and condit...

Enlarged thyroid: see goiter.

Eskalith: See: Lithium.

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

Generic: 1. The chemical name of a drug. 2. A term referring to the chemical...

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

Goiter: A noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland. With a goiter, the levels of thyr...

Hair loss: Hair loss is the thinning of hair on the scalp. The medical term for hair loss ...

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

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

High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

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

Hypothalamus: The area of the brain that secretes substances that influence pituitary and ...

Hypothyroid: Deficiency of thyroid hormone which is normally made by the thyroid gland wh...

Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease or trait, appears in a pa...

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

Iodine: An element in the diet that is essential for the manufacture of hormones by the th...

Iodine deficiency: A lack of sufficient iodine in the diet, which can lead to inadequate p...

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

Levothyroxine: A synthetic thyroid hormone used as a thyroid hormone replacement drug (bra...

Lipid: Another word for "fat." (Please see the various meanings of Fat.) A lipid is more f...

Lithium: A naturally occurring salt that, in purified form, is used to treat certain psych...

Lithobid: See: Lithium.

Lymphocytic: Referring to lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. For example, lymphocyti...

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

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...

Metabolism: The whole range of biochemical processes that occur within a living organism. ...

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

Normal range: Characteristic of 95 percent of values from a normal population. The remaini...

Pituitary: 1. As an adjective, pertaining to the pituitary gland or its hormonal se...

Pituitary gland: The main endocrine gland. It is a small structure in the head. It is ca...

Postpartum: The period just after delivery, as with postpartum depression. Postpartum refe...

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

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ...

Radioactive: Emitting energy waves due to decaying atomic nuclei. Radioactive substances a...

Radioactive iodine: An isotope of the chemical element iodine that is radioactive. Radioa...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Subacute: Rather recent onset or somewhat rapid change. In contrast, acute indicates very ...

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

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

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...

Thyroid hormones: Chemical substances made by the thyroid gland, which is located in the...

Thyroid stimulating hormone: A hormone produced by the pituitary gland at the base of the...

Thyroiditis: Inflammation of the thyroid gland which is located in front of the neck:

Thyroxine: A hormone that is made by the thyroid gland and is one of the most important th...

Tongue: A strong muscle that is anchored to the floor of the mouth. The tongue is covered ...

Triiodothyronine: A hormone that is made by the thyroid gland. Triiodothyronine has three ...

TSH: Thyroid stimulating hormone.

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