Medical terms - Letter H (page 15) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Hygiene

The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. From the name of Hygeia, the daughter of Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine (whose staff with entwined snake is the symbol of medicine). Asklepios…
Hygiene hypothesis

A hypothesis that states that exposure to allergens in the environment early in life reduces the risk of developing allergies by boosting immune system activity. Conversely, relatively clean environment in early life…
Hygiene theory

See: Hygiene hypothesis
Hymen

A thin membrane which completely or partially occludes the vaginal opening. The hymen is a fold of mucous membrane usually present at birth at the orifice of the vagina. It is also called the vaginal membrane (or…
Hyoglossus

The muscle that permits the tongue to be held on the floor of the mouth
Hyper-

A genetic disorder characterized by recurring attacks of chills and fever that usually start before the first birthday and last for 4 to 6 days, usually accompanied by swollen glands in the neck and abdominal pain with…
Hyper-IgD syndrome

A genetic disorder characterized by recurring attacks of chills and fever that usually start before the first birthday and last for 4 to 6 days, usually accompanied by swollen glands in the neck and abdominal pain with…
Hyperactivity

A higher than normal level of activity. An organ can be described as hyperactive if it is more active than usual. Behavior can also be hyperactive. People who are hyperactive always seem to be in motion. They can't sit…
Hyperadrenocorticism

Excess hormone called 'cortisol'. Often called Cushing's syndrome, it is an extremely complex condition that involves many areas of the body. It results from an excess of cortisol and its effects on the human body…
Hyperaldosteronism

Overproduction of the hormone aldosterone from the outer portion (cortex) of the adrenal gland or a tumor containing that type of tissue. Excess aldosterone (pronounced al-do-ster-one) results in low potassium levels…
Hyperbaric

Pertaining to gas pressures greater than 1 atmosphere* of pressure. Also pertaining to solutions that are more dense than the medium to which they are added. The term 'hyperbaric' is derived from Greek roots: 'hyper-'…
Hyperbilirubinemia

An elevated level of the pigment bilirubin in the blood. A sufficient elevation will produce jaundice. Some degree of hyperbilirubinemia is very common in babies right after birth, especially premies.
Hyperbilirubinemia type I

Better known as Gilbert's disease, a common but harmless genetic condition in which a liver enzyme essential to the disposal of bilirubin (the chemical that results from the normal breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood…
Hyperbilirubinemia, neonatal

Elevation of the bilirubin level in the blood of the newborn, which results in yellowish staining of the skin and whites of the newborn's eyes (sclerae) by pigment of bile (bilirubin). In newborn babies a degree of…
Hypercalcemia

A higher-than-normal level of calcium in the blood. This can cause a number of nonspecific symptoms, including loss of appetite, nausea, thirst, fatigue, muscle weakness, restlessness, and confusion. Excessive intake of…
Hypercalciuria

Excess calcium in the urine
Hypercapnia

More than the normal level of carbon dioxide in the blood. Hypercapnia is as opposed to hypocapnia and acapnia. The origin of the suffix '-capnia' is curious. It comes from the Greek 'kapnos' referring to carbon dioxide…
Hypercarbia

More than the normal level of carbon dioxide in the blood. Hypercarbia is the opposite of hypocarbia
Hyperchloremia

Elevated 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…
Hypercholesterolemia

High blood cholesterol. This can be sporadic (with no family history) or familial. Familial hypercholesterolemia is the most common inherited type of hyperlipidemia (high lipid levels in blood). It predisposes to…
Hypercoagulability, estrogen-associated

>esterified estrogens >esterified estrogens and methyltestosterone >estradiol >estrogens (conjugated) and medroxyprogesterone >estrogens conjugated The brand names of the estrogen therapy preparations carrying this risk…
Hypercoagulable state

A hypercoagulable state is the medical term for a condition in which there is an abnormally increased tendency toward blood clotting (coagulation). There are numerous hypercoagulable states. Each has different causes…
Hyperconscious

More conscious than usual. Extremely aware. People became hyperconscious of Parkinson disease after the actor Michael J. Fox developed it at a relatively young age
Hyperekplexia

A genetic disorder also known as hyperexplexia in which babies have an exaggerated startle reflex (reaction). This disorder was not recognized until 1962 when it was described by Drs. Kok and Bruyn as a disease with the…
Hyperemesis gravidarum

Excessive vomiting in early pregnancy. Hyperemesis gravidarum, by definition, leads to the loss of 5% or more of the body weight of the woman. Hyperemesis gravidarum affects about one in every 300 pregnant women. It is…
Hyperexplexia

A genetic disorder in which babies have an exaggerated startle reflex (reaction). This disorder was not recognized until 1962 when it was described by Drs. Kok and Bruyn as a disease with the onset at birth of…
Hyperextensible

Unusually capable of being extended and stretched. Hyperextensible skin is a feature of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia: A high blood sugar. An elevated level specifically of the sugar glucose in the blood. Hyperglycemia is often found in diabetes mellitus. It occurs when the body does not have enough insulin or cannot use…
Hyperglycemic response

A response resulting in a high blood sugar and specifically elevating the level of the sugar glucose in the blood. Hyperglycemia is often found in diabetes mellitus. It occurs when the body does not have enough insulin…
Hypergraphia

The driving compulsion to write; the overwhelming urge to write. Hypergraphia may compel someone to keep a voluminous journal, to jot off frequent letters to the editor, to write on toilet paper if nothing else is…
Hypergraphic

A person with hypergraphia, the insatiable urge to write
Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis: Excessive sweating. Hidrosis meaning sweating, so hyperhidrosis is too much sweating.
Hyperhidrosis, axillary

See: Axillary hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis, palmoplantar

See: Palmoplantar hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrotic

Pertaining to hyperhidrosis, excessive sweating. Hidrosis meaning sweating, so hyperhidrosis is too much sweating
Hyperkalemia

Hyperkalemia: Elevated blood potassium. Potassium is the major positive ion (cation) found inside of cells. The chemical notation for potassium is K+. The proper level of potassium is essential for normal cell function…
Hyperlexia

The presence of advanced ability to read compared to the ability to understand spoken language. Children with hyperlexia have a precocious ability to read words, far above what would be expected at their chronological…
Hyperlipidemia

High lipid (fat) levels in the blood.
Hypermagnesemia

Excess magnesium. Persons with impaired kidney function should be especially careful about their magnesium intake because they can accumulate magnesium, a dangerous (and sometimes fatal) situation. According to the…
Hypermnesia

Abnormally strong memory of the past. As compared to hypomnesia and amnesia. From hyper- + the Greek mneme, memory
Hypermobility syndrome

Hypermobility syndrome: A common benign childhood condition involving hypermobile joints (that can move beyond the normal range of motion). Symptoms include pains in knees, fingers, hips, and elbows. The affected joints…
Hypernatremia

Elevated blood sodium. Sodium is the major positive ion (cation) in fluid outside of cells. The chemical notation for sodium is Na+ (from natrium, a synonym for sodium). When combined with chloride (Cl), the resulting…
Hyperopia

Farsightedness; the ability to see distant objects more clearly than close objects. Hyperopia may be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
Hyperosmolar

In biochemistry, pertaining to an osmolar concentration of the body fluids that is abnormally increased. As, for examples, in hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome and hyperosmolar coma
Hyperosmolarity

In biochemistry, an osmolar concentration of the body fluids that is abnormally increased
Hyperostosis

Overgrowth of bone. Hyperostosis is a nonspecific term that does not refer to any particular condition
Hyperoxaluria

An hereditary disorder that causes a special type of stone to form in the kidney and the urine beginning in childhood. Also known as oxalosis. The clinical features of this disease include the following: > >Urinary…
Hyperparathyroidism

Hyperparathyroidism: Too much parathyroid hormone resulting in abnormally high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia). This can cause bone resorption and osteoporosis, calcium deposits in the kidneys, muscular…
Hyperphosphatemia

A higher than normal blood level of phosphate. Phosphate molecules are particularly important as part of larger molecules in cell energy cycles. Higher than normal levels can be caused by ingestion of phosphate-rich…
Hyperpigmentation

Dark spots on the skin. Hyperpigmentation is primarily a cosmetic concern that can be covered with make-up, although in some cases (such as the cafe au lait spots associated with neurofibromatosis) it can be a sign of…