Glossary of Terms
type of kidney transplant in which a kidney is donated from someone who has died. Also called deceased donor transplant or non-living donor transplant
a build up of calcium. This makes tissue in the body get hard
Canadian Triage Acuity Score is a tool that helps Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centres to prioritize or rank patient care needs. It helps to make sure that the sickest patients are seen first, especially when it is busy.
size, amount something holds, space
ability
very small blood vessels
foods that have starch or sugar and give your body energy
causes cancer
cancer
heart doctor
medical department that treats heart problems
your heart is larger than it should be
any disease that affects and weakens your heart muscle
things that happen when trying to save your life in an emergency
a medical procedure where someone repeats compressions of a patient's chest. It is used to try to restore the blood flow and breathing when someone's heart stops
an emergency procedure that combines chest compressions often with artificial ventilation in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person who is in cardiac arrest.
having to do with your heart and blood vessels
where imaging of your heart or blood supply is done to monitor your heart. It uses motion studies and sometimes placing devices within the heart or blood vessels for diagnosis and repair.
specialty area where procedures such as angiogram, cardioversion, and device implantation occurs.
big blood vessels in your neck, arteries in your neck
ultrasound of the arteries in your neck
a condition caused by pressure on the nerve that passes through your wrist to your hand
someone who is sick and can make other people sick
eye disease
clouding of your eye that makes it hard for you to see
tube
hollow tube used to move fluids into or out of your body
to put a tube into part of your body
a condition where your spine puts pressure on the nerve roots at the bottom of your spinal cord
to burn a piece of skin or tissue (usually to help it stop bleeding)
a skin infection
common bacterial skin infection. Cellulitis may first appear as a red, swollen area that feels hot and tender to the touch. The redness and swelling often spread rapidly. Cellulitis is usually painful
a long, thin, flexible tube that is put into a large vein of your arm, neck, chest or groin. It can be used to give you fluids, medications, nutrition or blood.
brain and spinal cord
the central nervous system (CNS) is made up of the brain, the spinal cord, and the optic nerves. The central nervous system controls the way we think, guides how we move, and registers sensations (like pain) throughout our body.
a long, thin, flexible tube that may be put into your arm or chest under your skin. It is used to give medications, fluids, nutrients, or blood products over a long period of time.
a catheter is often inserted in the arm or chest through the skin into a large vein. The catheter is threaded through this vein until it reaches a large vein near the heart.
a part of your brain that controls balance and coordination of muscle movements such as walking
about the brain
bruise to your brain
one side of your brain
stroke, bleeding into your brain
stroke, brain attack
the seven neck bones at the top of your spine
about the lower part of your uterus (cervix)
the process that gets your cervix ready for labour. It makes your cervix soft and thin. Cervical ripening either happens naturally or can be done artificially using medications.
a medication used to ripen or soften the cervix before labour is induced.
lower part of your uterus (womb)
baby born through surgery, cut in your abdomen to get your baby out
A surgical procedure in which a baby is delivered through a cut in the abdomen and uterus. Used when a woman can't give birth vaginally
stopping, quitting
mark, trait, feature
chemical that causes swelling (inflammation)
cancer medication, cancer treatment, cancer drug
a picture of the inside of your chest
chest x-ray produces pictures of the heart, lungs, airways, blood vessels and the bones of the spine and chest. An x-ray is a noninvasive medical test that helps doctors diagnose and treat medical conditions
types of fat found in your body
problems with your bowels, digestive disease
an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It causes inflammation of your digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition
constant, never ending, does not go away, long term
coughing that lasts for more than 3 months
constant health problem, a health problem that lasts for a long time
when your kidneys stop working slowly, over a long time
kidney function which is less than normal and will never get better. This condition might be mild and might only need to be watched by your doctor(usually stage 1 or stage 2). Or it might be slowly getting worse and will need to be watched more carefully to avoid symptoms and complications. Stage 5 CKD is also called end-stage renal disease (ESRD), end stage kidney disease or end stage kidney failure. This is when you need dialysis or a transplant to continue to live.
a complication of chronic kidney disease
the disordered balance of minerals (phosphate and calcium), parathyroid hormone and activated vitamin D often associated with chronic kidney disease. May lead to abnormalities in bone structure and calcification (hardening ) of blood vessels and soft tissue.
lung disease
a lung disease that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
blood flow
blood flow through your body
the blood vessels and fluids in your body
when your foreskin is removed, the skin covering the tip of your penis
an artery in your heart
collar bone
birth defect that affects the upper lip and the roof of your mouth
medical
work or studies in a medical setting that involves patients
medical research study
other illnesses or diseases that you have
clot, clump together
tailbone
a snail-shaped organ in the inner ear that helps you hear
a device put into the inner part of your ear to help you hear
learning or thinking
a problem with your brain that makes it hard to think clearly
aware, know about, think of
stomach pain
sick, fussy baby
work together, help each other
part of your bowel
large intestine
medical test for tumours or cancer in your colon or rectum
check of your colon, look inside your intestine
an exam used to detect changes or abnormalities in your bowels (large intestine and rectum). During a colonoscopy, a long, flexible tube is inserted into your rectum. A tiny video camera at the tip of the tube allows the doctor to view the inside.
an operation on your colon or rectum
The thin, sticky, yellow fluid secreted by a woman's breasts before the production of true breast milk. Colostrum is rich in fats, protein, and antibodies. Some women notice small amounts of colostrum during and toward the end of pregnancy.
when someone is unconscious (unable to wake up)
a state of unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened; fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound; lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle; and does not initiate voluntary actions
in a coma
joining, mixing together
chair with the bottom cut out that is used as a portable toilet
catching, can be spread
a group of people who live in the same area, or who share the same beliefs or customs
able, capable
blood test that looks at your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. It may help detect infection or anemia.
follow, stick to
part
tooth coloured filling
understand
complete, covers everything, thorough, all
squeeze, press down on
special socks that you wear to help stop swelling or blood clots. They improve blood flow by gently squeezing your legs. This helps to move the blood up your legs
to push down on something, putting pressure on something
chest compressions pump the heart, moving blood and oxygen already in your body
to be made up of, include
weaken, damage
want, urge, desire
a special x-ray test. It can give clear pictures of the inside of your body.
Imaging of body regions and parts in a variety of different planes using x-rays.
become pregnant
imagine, think up, create
strength
focus
about, for, on
end, finish, judge
definite, final, last
physical training, training your body, fitness
do, carry on, run, lead
private, not to be told to others
born with, there at birth
when your heart isn't pumping hard enough
when your heart isn't able to pump blood normally. When you have CHF there isn't enough blood flow to supply your body's organs with oxygen and nutrients. "Heart failure" doesn't mean that your heart stops beating, but that your heart isn't working properly.
eye infection, pink eye, swelling and redness around your eyes
your instruction to block or allow access to your personal health information
a consent directive allows you to control the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information
for more information go to www.ehealthontario.on.ca
stays the same
combine, join, put together
plain to see, easy to see
unable to have a bowel movement
made of, form, make up
narrow, tighten
talk with, ask, discuss
eat, drink, use up
talk to, get in touch, call
touch, touching
illness that spreads to others, disease that you can give to other people
have, keep together, hold
harmful ingredient, pollution, poison, harmful chemical
infect, spoil
when you can control your bladder or bowels
form of peritoneal dialysis in which dialysis fluid is exchanged at regular intervals throughout the 24 hour day
a face mask attached to a machine that blows air into your airway
also called a sleep apnea machine, breathing machine
a treatment that uses mild air pressure to keep the airways open to help a person with apnea sleep better
therapy that involves putting a small device into your heart, to manage heart failure symptoms. It helps your heart work by sending tiny electrical impulses to your heart muscle. This may help your heart pump blood through your body.
birth control
tightening, flexing, tensing
The strong, rhythmic tightening of your uterus during labour. Regular strong and painful contractions dilate the cervix and push the baby through the birth canal.
a condition where your muscles, tendons, or other tissues get short and hard. This causes your joints to be stiff and twisted.
not recommended, can cause a bad reaction, not allowed
dye, x-ray dye
A type of fluid which is injected or swallowed during x-ray procedures to outline structures and/or function of a body organ or blood vessels. Note: Contrast media can also be used in MRI examinations, but consist of different chemistry than x-ray contrast media.
manage, be in charge of
a study that compares one treatment to another treatment
bruise
a time of rest to heal after an illness, injury or operation
when your body shakes, muscles tighten and jerk
spasm, shaking
about the blood vessels that bring blood to your heart
open heart surgery
heart disease, disease of the blood vessels that bring blood to your heart
a build-up of plaque in your coronary arteries that occurs over time
blood clot in a blood vessel in your heart
a baby's age based on his/her due date. For example, if a baby is 6 months old but was born 2 months early, his corrected age is 4 months
The number of weeks since the baby was born minus the number of weeks the baby was born prior to term. Used to determine developmental levels in preterm infants.
asthma medication, mediation used to lower swelling of your airways
to force air from your lungs with a sudden short sound
how to cough or sneeze without spreading germs
the bones that make up your head and hold your brain
blood test to see how well your kidneys are working
blood test to measure your level of creatinine, which is a waste product of muscle activity. As kidney function decreases, the serum creatinine level increases.
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old
rules, standards
a disease that causes inflammation (swelling) in the lining of your small intestine and/or your colon.
cap that covers a tooth
the area at the upper back of the skull
healing, healthful
something that can cure, heal or make better
heal, fix, make better
a medical procedure that's used to scrape tissue out of a body cavity, such as the inside of the uterus
a condition that happens when your body is making too much of the hormone called cortisol
about your skin, on the surface of your skin
blue colour to your skin when you don't get enough oxygen
pus under your skin, boil
a disease passed down from your parents that causes a thick liquid to build up in parts of the body, including your lungs. It usually starts by age 2 years
bladder infection
when a tiny camera is used to look into your bladder and urine tubes.
it is to check for stones or tumours in your bladder. It is also used to look for infection or a urinary tract disorder
what we can test for to see if your body would reject a kidney transplant
substance in your blood (antibody) designed to kill the antigen. This usually means that your body would reject a transplanted kidney
