Archive for March, 2009

Animal Bites medical terminology definition

Also called: Cat bites, Dog bites
Wild animals usually avoid people. They might attack, however, if they feel threatened, are sick, or are protecting their young or territory. Attacks by pets are more common. Animal bites rarely are life-threatening, but if they become infected, you can develop serious medical problems.

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Eosinophilic Disorders medical terminology definition

Also called: Eosinophilia
Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell. They contain particles filled with chemicals that fight off infections and play a role in your body’s immune response. Normally your blood doesn’t have a large number of eosinophils. Your body may produce more of them in response to allergic disorders, inflammation of the skin, and parasitic infections. They can also increase in response to some infections or to some bone marrow disorders. In some conditions, the eosinophils can move outside the bloodstream and into organs and tissues. Treatment of the problem depends on the cause.

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Health Disparities medical terminology definition

Health disparities refer to differences between groups of people. These differences can affect how frequently a disease affects a group, how many people get sick, or how often the disease causes death.

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Streptococcal Infections medical terminology definition

Also called: Strep
Streptococcal infections (strep for short) cause a variety of health problems. There are two types: group A and group B. Antibiotics are used to treat both.

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Bone Marrow Diseases medical terminology definition

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside some of your bones, such as your hip and thigh bones. It contains immature cells, called stem cells. The stem cells can develop into the red blood cells that carry oxygen through your body, the white blood cells that fight infections, and the platelets that help with blood clotting.

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Drug Safety medical terminology definition

In the U.S., the government’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must approve any drug – whether it’s prescription or over-the-counter – before it can be sold. The FDA evaluates the safety of a drug by looking at side effects, how it’s manufactured, results of animal testing and clinical trials, and more. The FDA also monitors a drug’s safety after approval.

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Teen Mental Health medical terminology definition

Being a teenager is hard. You’re under stress to be liked, do well in school, get along with your family and make big decisions. You can’t avoid most of these pressures, and worrying about them is normal. But feeling very sad, hopeless or worthless could be warning signs of a mental health problem.

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Angioplasty medical terminology definition

Also called: Balloon angioplasty
If you have coronary artery disease, the arteries in your heart are narrowed or blocked by a sticky material called plaque. Angioplasty is a procedure to restore blood flow through the artery.

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COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) medical terminology definition

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) makes it hard for you to breathe. Coughing up mucus is often the first sign of COPD. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are common COPDs.

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Head Lice medical terminology definition

Also called: Pediculosis
Head lice are parasitic wingless insects. They live on people’s heads and feed on their blood. An adult is called a louse and is about the size of a sesame seed. The eggs, called nits, are even smaller – almost like a dandruff flake. Lice and nits are easiest to detect at the neckline and behind the ears.

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