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Glossary terms: Akathisia: A condition described as a sense of "inner restlessness", which is a subjective sensation of motor restlessness and a strong urge to move around. Patients may:
In milder cases, the individual may complain of a sensation of inner restlessness and be unable to sit quietly without fidgeting. In more severe cases, the individual may actually be unable to remain seated and must pace or march. Their sense of anxiety increases if they are unable to move. Read more about Extrapyramidal symptoms and older persons. Albumin is the protein of the highest concentration in plasma manufactured by the liver. It performs many functions including (a) maintaining the oncotic pressure of the blood in order for fluid to remain within the blood stream instead of leaking out into the tissues and (b) transporting many small molecules in the blood. In pharmacotheraphy, the most important albumin is serum albumin. It is the protein to which drugs bind in the blood, and, as such, acts as both a carrier and reservoir system for many drugs in the systematic circulation. (medical encyclopedia) Alcohol dehydrogenase: an enzyme (zinc metalloenzyme) that oxidizes alcohols to aldehydes or ketones. Anionic drugs: A drug that has ions with a negative charge. Ions are atoms or groups of atoms that have electric charges (citation). Anthranilic acid is "an aromatic amine which occurs physiologically as a metabolite of the amino acid tryptophan. It is used commercially as an intermediate in dye synthesis." Anticholinergic: The side effects of certain medications that decrease the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and blocks the transmission of parasympathetic nerves reducing spasms of smooth muscle. Antipyretic: Drugs that are used for checking, preventing, or reducing a fever. (Medical encyclopedia) Benzodiazepines: Psychotropic drugs that belong to the group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) depressants which are used to slow down the nervous system. Bensodiazepines are usually used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions. The long-term or high-dose use of benzodiazepines requires extra caution because it may cause mental or physical dependence (citation). Cationic drug: A drug that has ions with a positive charge (citation). Choreiform Movements: Abnormal movements that are quick, sudden, jerking and purposeless involving movements of the arms, legs, face, and trunk. Examples:
These movements are uncontrollable, involuntary, and unpredictable, which interrupt normal movement or posture. Choreiform movements may also occur as results of a complication of long term (1 year or more) neuroleptic drug administration (tardive dyskinesia). More information on chorea; Huntington Chorea. Degenerative Joint Disease is a wearing-out of the cartilage of joint surfaces, which results in greatly increased stress on the underlying bones and causes pain, swelling, and gradual loss of joint function. This occurs with age, but a history of injuries to joints, mainly in large, weight bearing joints, or in other joints where there have been years of repetitive movement will produce the disease in younger people as well. The cartilage between the bones allows them to move (or slide) on each other, providing stable movement. If the smooth cartilage between the bones becomes roughened it causes friction between the bones, leading to joint pain. Endogenous compounds: Various drugs require conjugation with endogenous substrates such as glutathione, glucouronic acid, and sulfuric acid for their inactivation. Consequently, different drugs may compete for the same endogenous substrate, and the faster-reacting drug may effectively deplete the endogenous substrate levels and impair the metabolism of the slower-reacting drug. If the later has a steep dose-response curve or a narrow margin of safety, its pharmacology and toxic effects may be potentiated (citation). Giant cell arteritis: This disorder involves inflammation and damage to blood vessels, most commonly the blood vessels of the head, especially the temporal arteries that branch from the carotid artery of the neck. However, it can be systemic, affecting multiple arteries anywhere in the body. There is inflammation and necrosis (death of the tissues) of one or more arteries. The cause is unknown but is assumed to be, at least in part, an effect of the immune response. The disorder has been associated with polymyalgia rheumatica, as well as with severe infections, high doses of antibiotics, and chronic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. The symptoms occur because of inflammation. Glomerulus: The main, semipermeable filter of the nephron within the Bowman's capsule. The glomerulus resembles a twisted mass of tiny tubes through which the blood passes. It allows water and soluble wastes to pass through and be excreted out of the Bowman's capsule as urine. The filtered blood passes out of the glomerulus into the efferent arteriole to be returned through the medullary plexus to the intralobular vein (citation). Gout: One of the most painful rheumatic diseases; approximately 5 percent of all cases of arthritis is caused by gout. Gout can be caused by
Gout can progress through four stage:
As the disease progresses through these stages, the conditions get more severe. However, with proper treatment, generally gout does not progress to the stage of chronic tophaceous gout, where the disease causes permanent damage to the affected joints and to the kidneys. (for more information) Hemochromatosis is a hereditary disease, and is the most common form of iron overload disease, characterized by an accumulation of extra iron in parenchymal tissues and organs. Such extra iron damages organs, causing them to eventually fail if left untreated. This extra iron is caused by increased absorption in excess of what the body needs. The body does not eliminate excess iron naturally, instead it stores it in organs, especially the liver, heart, and pancreas. Men are five times more likely to be diagnosed with this disease than women. Men also tend to develop problematic symptoms at an earlier age. (NIDDK; Mayo Clinic) Hyperparathyroidism is a disorder of enlarged, overactive parathyroid glands which produce too much parathyroid hormones, which in turn stimulate increased levels of calcium in the blood stream. The excess calcium leads to osteoporosis and osteomalacia (both bone-weakening diseases). The common secondary result of hyperparathyroidism is kidney failure. Causes of hyperparathyroidism are unknown in most cases. Hyperuricemia: Uric acid is a chemical which is a natural part of the normal breaking down and building up of food and body tissues. Uric acid is dissolved in the blood and passed through the kidneys into the urine for elimination under a normal condition. The level in the blood can be measured and shows how much there is in the body overall. The condition of increased levels of uric acid in the blood occurs if the production of uric acid is increased in the body or if the kidneys' function to eliminate uric acid from the body is not functioning normally. This condition is called hyperuricemia. When this condition is present, the uric acid, which is normally dissolved in the blood may, form microscopic crystals in the joint from time to time. Although hyperuricemia is not a disease and is not dangerous by itself, gout can develop if excess uric acid crystals are formed as a result of hyperuricemia. These crystals set up the inflammation in the joint spaces, which is called acute gouty arthritis or acute gout. Those uric acid crystals can also collect in the kidneys and cause kidneys stones. (http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/gout/gout.htm) Hypokalemia: Abnormally low potassium concentration in the blood; it may result from excessive potassium loss by the renal or the gastrointestinal route, from decreased intake, or from transcellular shifts. It may be manifested clinically by neuromuscular disorders ranging from weakness to paralysis, by electrocardiographic abnormalities (depression of the T wave and elevation of the U wave) by renal disease, and by gastrointestinal disorders. (citation and more information). Hypotension: Low blood pressure that is much lower than the normal expected for an individual in a given environment; it can cause symptoms such as dizziness or lightheadedness. Hypotension is the opposite of hypertension (abnormally high blood pressure). Hypotension is a relative term because the blood pressure normally varies greatly with activity, age, diet, emotional state, medications, and underlying medical conditions. Low blood pressure; Blood pressure Hypovolemia: Abnormal decrease in blood plasma volume Intestinal motility: Normal coordinated contractions of smooth muscles that occurs automatically to move food through the digestive tract, urine from the kidneys through the ureters into the bladder, and bile from the gallbladder into the duodenum. It is a normal function of the body to move fluid from one place to another(citation 1; citation2). Myopathy is a general term referring to a disorder of muscles or muscle tissue, which can occur at birth as an inherited disorder or can be acquired later in life. In cases of inherited myopathy it is possible that some family members may have symptoms while others remain asymptomatic. One of the well-known myopathies is muscular dystrophies. General symptoms of myopathy include weakness of limbs, usually proximal (located close to the center of the body). Some individuals report that their myopathy emerges during exercise, while others report that symptoms diminish as exercise increases. In some cases, people with myopathy may not report any symptoms. Depending on the type of myopathy, one muscle group may be more affected than another. Myopathy can result from endocrine disorders, metabolic disorders, infection or inflammation of the muscle, certain drugs, and mutations in genes. (NINDS) Synovitis: Synovitis is inflammation of the lining of the joints (the synovial membrane). In certain situations, the synovium may become thickened and inflamed. Normally only a few cell layers thick, the synovium can become thickened, more cellular, and engorged with fluid in the condition called synovitis. There are several types of synovitis such as: fibrinous, gonorrheal, and tuberculous. Most commonly seen in arthritic conditions, and most pronounced in rheumatoid arthritis, synovitis can cause pain and inflammation within the affected joint. Treatment usually consists of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (e.g. Advil, Motrin), but may also include steroid injections into the joint. Surgical removal of the inflamed synovium, a synovectomy, may also be needed. (Amersham Health; Aventis Pharmaceuticals). Tubular secretion: Active process that transfers ionized substances from peritubular capillaries to the lumen for elimination in the urine. This process ensures that protein-bound drugs are excreted. These transport systems, which are rather nonspecific, have two types: one transports organic acids and the other transports organic bases (citation). Parkinson's disease: One of the motor system disorders. Parkinson's disease is caused as a result of the loss or impairment of dopamine-producing cells or neurons. Dopamine is an important chemical messenger that transmits signals within the brain. The loss of dopamine in the brain causes the nerve cells to fire out of control, resulting in the loss of direction or control of their movement in a normal manner. Some of the common symptoms of the disease are rigidity of the muscles, slow body movement, and tremor. Plasma Albumin: Plasma albumin concentration is an important indicator of nutritional status, and low concentrations pre-surgery increase the risk of postoperative wound dehiscence, seroma formation and infection. Albumin is the serum protein of the highest concentration in plasma. Albumin, which is produced exclusively in the liver, transports many small molecules in the blood such as bilirubin, calcium, and progesterone. It is also of prime importance in maintaining the oncotic pressure of the blood (that is, keeping the fluid from leaking out into the tissues). Because albumin is synthesized by the liver, decreased serum albumin may result from liver disease. It can also result from kidney disease, which allows albumin to escape into the urine. Decreased albumin may also be explained by malnutrition or a low protein diet. Plasma albumin is well known to decrease in response to inflammation (citation 1; citation 2). Prostaglandins: Derivatives of fatty acids that are produced in most tissues of the body. Although they perform varieties of physiologic actions, they often act as second messengers within cells acted upon by other hormones. Prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes are all classified as members of the prostaglandin or eicosanoid class. Wilson's disease is a genetic disorder characterized by excessive buildup of intracellular hepatic copper in the liver or brain caused by the genetic defect. Without proper treatment, the disease can cause sever liver failure, brain damage, and eventually death. Although the body requires appropriate amounts of copper as vitamins, the body has to excrete extra copper that the body does not need. However, people with Wilson's disease do not have the liver function to release such extra copper into bile. This accumulated extra copper in the liver will injure liver tissues and lead to damage in the kidneys, brain, and eyes. NIDDK If you need a definition that is not included here, search the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online:
Here is a list of blood work abbreviations. You can also find definitions and uses of the various tests at BloodBook.com
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