Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «H»:
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Hypoalbuminemia
Hypoalbuminemia: An abnormally low blood level of albumin. Normally, albumin is the most plentiful protein in human blood and the key to the regulation of its osmotic pressure....
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Hypocalcemia
Hypocalcemia: Lower-than-normal blood calcium. Low blood calcium makes the nervous system highly irritable with tetany (spasms of the hands and feet,
muscle cramps, abdominal cramps, and overly active reflexes). Chronic hypocalcemia contributes to poor mineralization of bones, soft bones (osteomalac...
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Hypocapnia
Hypocapnia: Less than the normal level of
carbon dioxide in the blood. Hypoapnia is the opposite of hypercapnia. The origin of the suffix "-capnia" is curious. It comes from the Greek "kapnos" referring to carbon dioxide which is a principal part of smoke....
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Hypocarbia
Hypocarbia: Less than the normal level of
carbon dioxide in the blood. The opposite of hypercarbia....
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Hypochloremia
Hypochloremia: Low blood levels of chloride.
Chloride is the major anion found in the fluid outside of cells and in blood. An anion is the negatively charged part of certain substances such as table salt (NaCl) when dissolved in liquid. Sea water has almost the same concentration of chloride ion as ...
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Hypochondria
Hypochondria: 1. Synonym for the disorder officially called hypochondriasis.
2. The plural of hypochondrium, referring to both sides of upper abdomen just below the rib cage.
The ancients believed hypochondiasis was due to disturbed function of the organs of the upper abdomen....
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Hypochondriac
Hypochondriac: A person who has hypochondriasis, a disorder characterized by a preoccupation with body functions and the interpretation of normal body sensations (such as sweating) or minor abnormalities (such as minor aches and pains) as portending problems of major medical moment. Reassurance by ...
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Hypochondriacal neurosis
Hypochondriacal neurosis: See: Hypochondriasis....
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Hypochondriasis
Hypochondriasis: The belief and fear of serious illness which lasts for six months, beyond and despite medical reassurance. Hypochondriacs were once viewed unsympathetically as comical figures in the way Moliere depicted them in his classic (1673) play "Le Malade Imaginaire" (The Imaginary Invalid)....
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Hypochondriasm
Hypochondriasm: See: Hypochondriasis....
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Hypochondroplasia
Hypochondroplasia: Hypochondroplasia is a type of short-limb dwarfism with shortening especially of the ends of the limbs (termed rhizomelic dwarfism). The short stature and limb shortening can be mild.
The diagnosis is often made at 2-4 years of age when the child falls off the growth curve and th...
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Hypocol
Hypocol: One of the three major preparations of red yeast rice, a tradition Chinese medicine now used to lower cholesterol. Hypocol is also known as cholestin....
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Hypodontia and nail dysgenesis
Hypodontia and nail dysgenesis: A genetic disorder characterized by the absence of several teeth (hypodontia) and abnormalities of the nails (nail dysgenesis) at birth. The disorder is also known as Witkop syndrome or the tooth and nail syndrome (TNS).
The tooth and nail defects in the syndrome ...
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Hypogeusia
Hypogeusia: A reduced ability to taste things (to taste sweet, sour, bitter, or salty substances).
Some people cannot detect tastes and are said to have ageusia....
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Hypoglossal nerve
Hypoglossal nerve: The hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth cranial nerve. The twelve cranial nerves, the hypoglossal nerve included, emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium), as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column.
The hypoglossal nerve supplies the muscles of the ...
