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Glossary

Showing 591-600 out of 1156 Terms

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  • Hypotension

    (HY-poh-TEN-shun)

    Abnormally low blood pressure.

  • Hypothalamus

    HY-poh-THA-luh-mus

    The area of the brain that controls body temperature, hunger, and thirst.

  • Hypothyroidism

    (HY-poh-THY-roy-dih-zum)

    Too little thyroid hormone. Symptoms include weight gain, constipation, dry skin, and sensitivity to the cold. Also called underactive thyroid.

  • I-Med

    A machine that regulates the rate of blood transfusion, infusion of chemotherapy or fluids for hydration.

  • IV

    A device that is used to allow a fluid such as blood or a liquid medication to flow directly into a patient's veins.

  • IVIG

    Intravenous immunoglobulin. A substance made from antibodies that have been taken from the blood of many healthy donors. It is given to a patient through a needle or tube inserted into a vein. Intravenous immunoglobulins are used to treat certain types of immune disorders in which there are low amounts of antibodies in the blood. They are also used to treat many different autoimmune disorders, infections, or other conditions. They may also be used to help prevent infections in patients who have had a stem cell or organ transplant. Intravenous immunoglobulins are a type of immunotherapy.

  • Ice blanket

    A blanket cooled with ice water or a refrigerant on which you lie to reduce your temperature.

  • Ileus

    (IH-lee-us)

    Severe constipation.

  • Iliac crest

    The top edge of your hip bone from which marrow is usually taken for diagnosis of blood cell diseases.

  • Imaging test

    (IH-muh-jing ...)

    A type of test that makes detailed pictures of areas inside the body. Imaging tests use different forms of energy, such as x-rays (high-energy radiation), ultrasound (high-energy sound waves), radio waves, and radioactive substances. They may be used to help diagnose disease, plan treatment, or find out how well treatment is working. Examples of imaging tests are computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear medicine tests. Also called imaging procedure.