Medical terms - Letter A (page 28) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Asn

Asparagine. See also: Amino acid symbols
ASOT

Antistreptolysin O Titer. A blood test that looks for antibodies to the streptococcus A bacteria. Also abbreviated ASLO
Asp

Aspartic acid. See also: Amino acid symbols
Asparagine

An amino acid, one of the 20 building blocks of protein. Asparagine is nonessential to the diet since the body can synthesize it. Asparagine is important to the metabolism of ammonia. It was the first amino acid to be…
Aspartame

A man-made sweetener with almost no calories used in place of sugar. A diet program with aspartame and exercise gives better results than without this sweetener. People lose more weight and regain less weight. Aspartame…
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

Also known as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), AST is an enzyme that is normally present in liver and heart cells. AST is released into blood when the liver or heart is damaged. The blood AST levels are…
Aspartic acid

An amino acid, one of the 20 building blocks of protein. A amino acid that is not essential to the human diet, aspartic acid was discovered in protein in 1868. It has a role as a neurotransmitter. Symbol: Asp
Asperger syndrome

An autistic disorder most notable for the often great discrepancy between the intellectual and social abilities of those who have it. Asperger syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder that is characterized by an…
Aspergillosis

Infection with the fungus Aspergillus, seen especially in people with a deficient immune system. The clinical features of aspergillosis can include invasive lung infection and disseminated disease, usually with fever…
Aspergillus

A family of fungal organisms and molds, some of which can cause disease (aspergillosis)
Asphyxia

Impaired or impeded breathing.
Aspie

Name that many people with Asperger syndrome call themselves
Aspirate

To suck in. A patient may aspirate for example by accidentally drawing material from the stomach into the lungs. A doctor can aspirate a joint.
Aspiration

Removal of a sample of fluid and cells through a needle. Aspiration also refers to the accidental sucking in of food particles or fluids into the lungs
Aspiration pneumonia

Pneumonia: Infection of the lungs due to aspiration (the sucking in of food particles or fluids into the lungs)
Aspiration, fine needle

See Fine needle aspiration
Aspiration, joint

A procedure whereby a sterile needle and syringe are used to drain joint fluid from the joint. This is usually done as an office procedure or at the bedside in the hospital. The procedure is also known medically as…
Aspirin

A good example of a tradename that entered into the language, Aspirin was once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid. The first use of what became known as aspirin was by the Greek physician Hippocrates, who used…
Aspirin resistance

1. The inability of aspirin to protect a person from cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes. This has been called clinical aspirin resistance.2. The inability of aspirin to produce an anticipated effect…
Asplenia

The absence of a spleen or one that functions. (The spleen can be functionally destroyed, as occurs in patients with sickle cell disease.) The spleen, an organ located in the upper left part of the abdomen near the…
Asplenic

Pertaining to asplenia, the state of being without a spleen or without a functional spleen. The spleen can be functionally destroyed, as by inadequate oxygen supply in sickle cell disease. The spleen, an organ located…
Assay

An assay is an analysis done to determine: > >The presence of a substance and the amount of that substance. Thus, an assay may be done for example to determine the level of thyroid hormones in the blood of a person…
Assay, CEA

CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) is a protein found in many types of cells but associated with tumors and the developing fetus. CEA is tested in blood. The normal range is <2.5 ng/ml in an adult non-smoker and <5.0…
Assay, NSE

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a substance that has been detected in patients with certain tumors, namely: neuroblastoma, small cell lung cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, carcinoid tumors, endocrine tumors of the…
Assembly and budding

A portion of the processes by which new HIV is formed in infected host cells. Viral core proteins, enzymes, and RNA gather (assemble) just inside the cell's membrane, while the viral envelope proteins aggregate within…
Assembly, DNA

The process of putting fragments of DNA that have been sequenced into their correct chromosomal positions. The pieces of DNA are assembled to reconstitute the sequence of the chromosome from which they came
Assignment of benefits

An arrangement by which a patient requests that their health benefit payments be made directly to a designated person or facility, such as a physician or hospital
Assistant in dying

See: Doula (the second meaning)
Assistant, physician (PA)

>Medical histories and physical examinations: a PA is usually can perform histories and physical examinations that do not go beyond a particular level. >Laboratory tests: a PA can order any test which he or she is…
Assisted living

A type of long-term care facility for elderly or disabled people who are able to get around on their own but who may need help with some activities of daily living, or simply prefer the convenience of having their meals…
Assisted suicide

Suicide: The deliberate hastening of death by a terminally ill patient with assistance from a doctor, family member, or another individual
Assistive device

Any device that is designed, made, or adapted to assist a person perform a particular task. For examples, canes, crutches, walkers, wheel chairs, and shower chairs are all assistive devices
Assistive technology

This term may be used to mean an assistive device, but more commonly denotes some kind of electronic or computerized device that helps a disabled person to function more easily in the world. Examples of assistive…
Association

1. In dysmorphology (the study of birth defects), the nonrandom occurrence in two or more individuals of a pattern of multiple anomalies (birth defects) not known to be a malformation syndrome (such as Down syndrome), a…
Association of American Medical Colleges

The AAMC is a nonprofit association of the 125 accredited U.S. medical schools; the 16 accredited Canadian medical schools; more than 400 major teaching hospitals and health systems; some 90 academic and professional…
Association, VATER

See: VATER association
AST

1. Aspartate aminotransferase, an enzyme normally present in liver and heart cells. AST is released into blood when the liver or heart is damaged. The blood AST levels are thus elevated with liver damage (for example…
Astatic seizure

See: Atonic seizure
Asthenia

Weakness. Lack of energy and strength. Loss of strength. The word asthenia is not much used in medicine today, although it is a prominent part of myasthenia, a loss of muscle strength, as in myasthenia gravis. Asthenia…
Asthenic

1. Weak. Lacking in strength. 2. Having a slender light body. Ectomorphic.See also: Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome
Asthma

G=4 cel ODYvAlign=top bgColor=#cccccc colSpan=2> vAlign=top width='100%' bgColor=#ffffff>Our Asthma Main Article provides a comprehensive look at the who, what, when and how of Asthma Asthma: A common disorder in which…
Asthma susceptibility gene

One of the genes that predisposes a person to asthma. A new gene family that plays a major role in asthma susceptibility has been identified. This gene family located at chromosome 5q23-35 is called Tim or Tapr. It…
Asthma, exercise-induced

Asthma, exercise-induced: Asthma that is 'triggered' by vigorous physical activity. Exercise-induced asthma tends particularly to affect children and young adults (because of their high level of physical activity) but…
Asthma, miner's

See: Black lung disease
Asthma, thermally induced

Asthma, thermally induced asthma: Asthma that is 'triggered' by vigorous physical activity. Exercise-induced asthma tends particularly to affect children and young adults (because of their high level of physical…
Asthmatic

1. Pertaining to asthma as, for example, asthmatic bronchitis.2. A person with asthma
Astigmatic

Referring to astigmatism or a person with astigmatism, a common form of visual impairment in which part of an image is blurred, due to an irregularity in the curvature of the front surface of the eye, the cornea. The…
Astigmatism

Astigmatism: A common form of visual impairment in which part of an image is blurred, due to an irregularity in the curvature of the front surface of the eye, the cornea. The curve of the cornea is shaped more like an…
Astraphobia

An abnormal and persistent fear of thunderstorms. Sufferers experience anxiety even when they realize the risk of harm is very small. Consequently, when indoors they might seek shelter under a bed, in a closet or in a…
Astrocytoma

A tumor that begins in the brain or spinal cord in small, star-shaped cells called astrocytes. The location of the tumor depends on the age of the person. In adults, astrocytomas most often arise in the cerebrum whereas…