Rhabdomyolysis Glossary of Terms

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Acid-base balance: Acid-base balance refers to the mechanisms the body uses to keep its fl...

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

Antidepressant: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

Antidepressants: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

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

Blast: An immature blood cell.

Blood clots: Blood that has been converted from a liquid to a solid state. Also called a t...

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

Blood in the urine: Blood that appears in the urine. Also known as hematuria. Gross hematu...

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

Cardiac: Having to do with the heart.

Cardiac muscle: A type of muscle tissue that is found only in the heart and is distinguish...

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

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

Coagulation: In medicine, the clotting of blood. The process by which the blood clots to f...

Cocaine: A substance derived from the leaves of the coca plant that is a bitter, addictive...

Compartment syndrome: A condition in which there is swelling and an increase in pressure w...

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

Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

Creatine: A compound the body synthesizes (makes) and then utilizes to store energy. The s...

Creatinine: A chemical waste molecule that is generated from muscle metabolism. Creatinine...

Crush injury: An injury that occurs because of pressure from a heavy object onto a body pa...

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

Dermatomyositis: A chronic inflammatory disease of skin and muscle which is associated wit...

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

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

Diuretic: Something that promotes the formation of urine by the kidney. All diuretics caus...

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

Electrolyte: A substance that dissociates into ions in solution and acquires the capacity ...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Emergency medical technician: A person trained in the performance of the procedures requir...

Fascia: A flat band of tissue below the skin that covers underlying tissues and separates ...

Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

Fibrillation: In cardiology, an abnormal and erratic twitching of the heart muscle.

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

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

Glomerular: Pertaining to the glomerulus, a tiny structure in the kidney that filters the ...

Glomeruli: The plural of glomerulus.

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

Heroin: Semisynthetic drug derived from morphine. Discovered in 1874, it was introduced co...

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

Hyperthermia: Overheating of the body, possibly due to extreme weather conditions. Unrelie...

Hypothermia: Abnormally low body temperature. Someone who falls asleep in a cold temperatu...

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

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

Intervention: The act of intervening, interfering or interceding with the intent of modify...

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

Lethargy: Abnormal drowsiness, stupor.

Lightening: Not to be confused with a discharge of atmospheric electricity, lightening re...

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

Malignant: 1. Tending to be severe and become progressively worse, as in malignant ...

Malignant hyperthermia: A series of potentially fatal problems that can occur during surg...

Membrane: A very thin layer of tissue that covers a 'surface.

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

Microscopic: So small it cannot be seen without the aid of microscope. As opposed to macro...

Mortality: A fatal outcome or, in one word, death. The word "mortality" is derived from "m...

Mortality rate: A death rate. There are a number of different types of mortality rates as,...

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

Myoglobin: The pigment in muscle that carries oxygen.

Myopathy: Any and all diseases of muscle.

Narcotic: 1. A drug that causes insensibility or stupor. A narcotic induces narcosi...

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

Nephrologist: A physician specializing in treating diseases of the kidneys.

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

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 ...

PCP: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

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

Polymyositis: An autoimmune inflammatory disease of muscle that begins when white blood ce...

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

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...

Proteins: Large molecules composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific orde...

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

Reuptake: The reabsorption of a secreted substance by the cell that originally produced an...

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

Saline: Relating to salt. As an adjective, "saline" means "salty, containing salt." As a n...

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

Serotonin: A neurotransmitter that is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. Sero...

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

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...

Spasm: A brief, automatic jerking movement. A muscle spasm can be quite painful, with the ...

Spider bites: Bites from spiders. These are usually irritating, but not poisonous. Localiz...

Statins: A class of drugs that lower cholesterol.

Status epilepticus: An epileptic seizure that lasts more than 30 minutes; a constant or ...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Tachycardia: A rapid heart rate, usually defined as greater than 100 beats per minute.

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

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

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Unconscious: 1. Interruption of awareness of oneself and one's surroundings, lack ...

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...

Venom: A poison, particularly one secreted by an animal. Examples are bee venom, snake ven...

Ventricular: Pertaining to the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart, as in ventricu...

Ventricular fibrillation: An abnormal and irregular heart rhythm in which there are rapid ...

Ventricular tachycardia: An abnormal heart rhythm that is rapid and regular and that origi...

Vital: Necessary to maintain life. For example, breathing is a vital function.