Health, diseases terms glossary - Starting with A

Anorexia nervosa: Anorexia nervosa- a dangerous eating disorder mainly affecting young girls in which the sufferer has an intense fear of looking fat, avoids food, and loses weight excessively
Antacid: Antacid- a drug that neutralizes stomach acids; used to treat indigestion, heartburn, and acid reflux.
Antibiotics: Antibiotics- bacteria-killing substances that are used to fight infection.
Antibodies: Antibodies- "Shock Troops" in the body's defence mechanism, capable of destroying bacteria & other potentially harmful substances. They are manufactured by lymph tissue such as spleen, in that of response to the presence of a foreigh substance in the body, such as an allergen or a virus. Each antibody combats a particular infection.
Antibody: Antibody- a protein made by white blood cells that reacts with a specific foreign protein as part of the immune response.
Antihistamine: Antihistamine- a drug that relieves an allergic reaction by stopping the effects of histamine, the substance responsible for the negative symptoms associated with the reaction.
Antihypertensives: Antihypertensives- drugs used to relieve the symptoms and prevent the damage that can occur from high blood pressure.
Antioxidants: Antioxidants- Chemicals, which prevent or retard oxidation induced damage in body tissues or which prevent food spoilage. Major natural antioxidants in food are vitamin E, vitamin C and beta corotene.
Antiseptics: Antiseptics- chemicals applied to the skin that prevent infection by killing bacteria and other harmful organisms.
Anus: Anus- the opening through which feces are passed from the body.
Aorta: Aorta- the main artery in the body, carrying oxygenated blood from the heart to other arteries in the body.
Aplastic anemia: Aplastic anemia- a severely reduced number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Appendicitis: Appendicitis- inflammation of the appendix.
Appendix: Appendix- a short, tubelike structure that branches off the large intestine; does not have any known function.
Arteriosclerosis: Arteriosclerosis- A group of diseases in which the walls of the arteries get thick and hard. In one type of arteriosclerosis, fat builds up inside the walls and slows the blood flow. These diseases often occur in people who have had diabetes for a long time. See also: Atherosclerosis
Arteritis: Arteritis- inflammation of the walls of an artery that causes the passageway to become narrower; can lead to tissue damage because oxygen is not properly supplied.
Artery: Artery- a large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to tissues and organs in the body.
Arthritis: Arthritis- a disease of the joints characterized by inflammation, pain, stiffness, and redness.
Arthroscopy: Arthroscopy- a procedure used to examine the inside of a joint using a viewing tube (an endoscope).
Artificial insemination: Artificial insemination-deposition of semen into the cervix by artificial means

Glossary