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eardrum
A thin, oval-shaped
membrane that separates the inner ear from the outer ear and is
responsible for transmitting sound waves.
ECG (sometimes called an EKG)
An electrocardiogram,
which is a record of the electrical impulses that trigger the heartbeat;
used to diagnose heart disorders.
echocardiogram
An image of the heart that
is created by high-frequency (ultrasound) sound waves.
eclampsia
A serious condition that
occurs in late pregnancy, characterized by seizures
in the woman.
ectopic
Occurring at an abnormal
position or time.
eczema
Inflammation of the skin,
usually causing itchiness and sometimes blisters and scaling; may be
caused by allergies, but often occurs for no apparent reason.
edema
Abnormal buildup of fluid
in the body, which may cause visible swelling.
eEG
See Electroencephalography.
elective
Describes a treatment or
procedure that is not urgent and can be arranged at the patient’s
convenience.
electroencephalography
A procedure for recording
the electrical impulses of brain activity.
embolism
The blockage of a blood
vessel by an embolus - something previously circulating in the blood
(such as a blood clot, gas
bubble, tissue, bacteria, bone marrow, cholesterol, fat, etc).
embryo
A term used to describe a
child in the womb from fertilization to 8 weeks
following fertilization.
emetic
A substance that causes
vomiting; used to treat some cases of poisoning and drug overdose.
emphysema
A chronic disease in which
the small air sacs in the lungs (the alveoli) become damaged;
characterized by difficulty breathing.
encephalitis
Inflammation of the brain,
usually caused by a virus;
may be very mild and barely noticeable, but is usually serious and can
progress from headache and fever to hallucinations, paralysis, and sometimes coma.
endarterectomy
Surgery performed to
remove the lining of an artery that
has been narrowed by fatty tissue buildup.
endemic
Describes a disease that
is always present in a certain population of people.
endocarditis
Inflammation of the inner
lining of the heart, usually the heart
valves; typically caused by an infection.
endocardium
The inner lining of the
heart.
endocrine
gland
A gland
that secretes hormones into the
bloodstream.
endogenous
Arising from inside of the
body.
endometrial
polyp
A growth (usually
noncancerous) occurring on the lining of the uterus.
endometriosis
A condition in which
fragments of the endometrium are found in other pelvic organs.
endometrium
The membrane that lines
the uterus.
endophthalmitis
inflammation of the inside of
the eye.
endorphin
A group of chemicals
produced in the brain that reduce pain and positively affect mood.
endoscope
A lighted instrument used
to view the inside of a body cavity.
endothelium
The layer of flat cells that lines the blood and lymph
vessels, the heart, and other structures in the body.
endotracheal
tube
A plastic tube that is fed
down into the trachea through the
mouth or nose to supply oxygen to a person who is not breathing
properly.
enteritis
Inflammation of the small intestine, usually
causing diarrhea.
enterobiasis
Infestation by a pinworm.
enuresis
The medical term for
wetting the bed.
enzyme
A chemical, originating in
a cell, that regulates reactions in the
body.
epidemic
A term used to describe a
disease that is rare then suddenly affects more people than usually
expected.
epidermis
The outer layer of the
skin.
epididymis
A long, coiled tube,
exiting from the back of the testicle,
in which sperm mature.
epidural anesthesia
A method of pain relief in
which a painkilling drug is injected into the space surrounding the spinal cord to block sensations
in the abdomen and lower body.
epilepsy
A disorder of the nervous
system in which abnormal electrical activity in the brain causes seizures.
epinephrine
A hormone
produced by the adrenal glands
in response to stress, exercise, or fear; increases heart rate and opens
airways to improve breathing; also
called adrenaline.
episcleritis
A patch of inflammation on the outer layer
of the white of the eye.
episiotomy
A surgical procedure in
which an incision is made in the tissue between the vagina and anus to prevent tearing of this tissue
during childbirth.
epithelium
The layer of cells
that covers the body and lines many organs.
Epstein-Barr
virus
A virus that is the cause
of mononucleosis and is involved
in Burkitt’s lymphoma.
erysipelas
An infection caused by streptococci bacteria;
characterized by fever and rash.
erythema
Redness of the skin.
erythrocyte
A red blood cell.
erythrocyte sedimentation
rate
A measure of the time it
takes for red blood cells to
collect at the bottom of a sample of blood; an elevated rate may mean
that there is inflammation somewhere in the body.
erythroplakia
Red patches in the mucous membranes of the mouth,
throat, or voice box (larynx) that can become cancerous; risk factors
include smoking pipes and chewing tobacco.
esophageal
spasm
Irregular contractions of
the muscles in the esophagus, which lead to
difficulty swallowing.
esophageal varices
Swollen veins in the lower
esophagus and possibly the upper part of the stomach; can cause vomiting
of blood and passing of black stool.
esophagus
A tube-shaped canal in the
digestive tract, connecting the throat to the stomach.
estrogen
A group of hormones
(produced mainly in the ovaries)
that are necessary for female sexual development and reproductive
functioning.
estrogen
replacement therapy
Treatment with synthetic
estrogen drugs to relieve symptoms of menopause
and to help protect women against osteoporosis
and heart disease.
eustachian
tube
The tube that connects the
middle ear and the back of the nose, draining the middle ear and
regulating air pressure.
euthanasia
Painlessly ending the life
of a patient with an incurable disease who requests to die.
excision
The surgical removal of
diseased tissue.
excretion
The process by which the
body rids itself of waste.
exercise stress test
The monitoring of the
heart during strenuous exercise, usually on a treadmill or exercise
bicycle, to evaluate how the heart responds to stress.
exercise thallium test
An imaging test performed
during and after an exercise stress test to evaluate functioning of the
heart muscles.
exogenous
Arising from outside of
the body.
expectorant
A medication used to
promote the coughing up of phlegm
from the respiratory tract.
extensor
muscle
A muscle that causes a
joint or limb to straighten.
external
version
External repositioning of
the fetus in the womb to the correct
birth position.
extracorporeal shock
wave lithotripsy
A procedure performed to
destroy kidney stones using
external shock waves.
extradural anesthesia
Injection of an anesthetic into the space outside
the dura mater, the fibrous membrane that envelops the spinal cord.
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