American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [806]
diabetes The term commonly used to describe a disorder in which the body is unable to properly use the sugar glucose. The two major forms are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
dialysis A technique used to filter waste products from the bloodstream when kidney function is impaired.
diastolic blood pressure The second, lower number in a blood pressure reading, which indicates the amount of pressure in the blood vessels when the heart rests between beats and fills with blood.
diathermy A treatment technique that uses high-frequency electric current, microwaves, or ultrasound waves to produce heat in body tissues. Diathermy is sometimes used to increase blood flow and relieve pain in people who have rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
dilate To widen, either naturally or by using a medical instrument or a drug.
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid. The molecular structure inside every cell that carries genetic information. Genes are made of DNA.
do-not-resuscitate order (DNR) An advance directive that states that no heroic measures (including cardiopulmonary resuscitation or mechanical life support) be used to restart a person’s heart if it stops beating.
durable power of attorney for health care An advance directive in which a competent person gives another person the authority to make health care decisions for him or her if the person can no longer do so.
dysplasia Abnormal growth of cells or body structures; sometimes precedes cancerous changes in cells.
dysuria Painful or difficult urination.
E
edema Abnormal accumulation of fluid in body tissues.
effusion The escape of fluid from a blood vessel or a lymphatic vessel into nearby tissues, or an abnormal accumulation of fluid.
electrolytes Essential minerals, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, that are involved in regulating various body processes such as maintaining water balance and blood pressure, conducting nerve impulses, contracting muscles, and maintaining a normal heartbeat.
embolism Sudden blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus.
embolus A blood clot or other material—such as a fragment of fat or a tiny piece of tissue—that travels through the bloodstream and can block an artery.
endocrine system A network of glands, organs, and tissues that produces and secretes hormones directly into the bloodstream to regulate many essential body processes.
endorphins Chemicals in the brain that can improve mood and help control a person’s response to pain and stress.
enzymes Proteins that control chemical reactions in the body.
epinephrine Also called adrenaline. A hormone produced by the adrenal glands that increases heart rate and blood flow and improves breathing.
erectile dysfunction Also called impotence. The persistent inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient to complete sexual intercourse.
essential hypertension See primary hypertension.
estrogen The female sex hormone produced mainly in the ovaries. Estrogen stimulates the development of the female sex organs and secondary sexual characteristics such as growth of pubic hair and breast development.
F
µfecal impaction Accumulation of hardened stool in the rectum.
fiber An indigestible nutrient (found in plant-based foods including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) that passes through the digestive tract without being absorbed. Fiber provides bulk to help keep the digestive tract functioning properly and may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
fibrillation Irregular, disorganized, ineffective muscle contractions, especially of the heart muscle. Fibrillation can affect either the atria (the small upper chambers of the heart) or the ventricles (the large, lower, pumping chambers of the heart).
fibrin A stringy, insoluble protein that gives blood clots their semisolid form to enable them to plug and seal damaged blood vessel walls.
folic acid A B vitamin essential for cell growth and repair and for the production of red blood cells; essential