Medical terms - Letter H (page 6) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Hemophilia

A group of inherited bleeding disorders in which the ability of blood to clot is impaired. See: Hemophilia A; Hemophilia B.
Hemophilia A

Classic hemophilia, due to profound deficiency of factor VIII, a blood factor necessary to normal clotting. The hemophilia A gene is on the X chromosome, so females carry the gene. Each son of a female carrier stands a…
Hemophilia B

Hemophilia due to deficiency of coagulation factor IX in the blood which results in prolonged oozing after minor and major injuries, tooth extractions, or surgery. There is renewed bleeding after the initial bleeding…
Hemophilia carrier

A female carrying a mutant gene for hemophilia on one of her two X chromosomes and a normal allele on her other X chromosome. Hemophilia carriers have concentrations of clotting factor VIII or IX of about 50% of normal…
Hemophilia heterozygote

See: Hemophilia carrier
Hemophobia

An abnormal and persistent fear of blood. Sufferers of this very common phobia dread the sight of their own blood, the sight of the blood of another person or an animal, and sometimes printed or filmed images of blood…
Hemopoietic

See: Hematopoietic
Hemoptysis

Spitting up blood or blood-tinged sputum. Pronounced he-MOP-tis-is. The word 'hemoptysis' comes from the Greek 'haima' for 'blood' + 'ptysis' meaning 'a spitting' = a spitting of blood. The source of the blood was…
Hemorrhage

Bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood. The patient may have an internal hemorrhage that is invisible or an external hemorrhage that is visible on the outside of the body. Bleeding into the spleen or liver is internal…
Hemorrhage, subarachnoid

Bleeding within the head into the space between two membranes that surround the brain. The bleeding is beneath the arachnoid membrane and just above the pia mater. (The arachnoid is the middle of three membranes around…
Hemorrhagic

Pertaining to bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood. The patient may have an internal hemorrhagic problem that is not be visible or the patient may have an external hemorrhagic problem that is therefore visible on the…
Hemorrhagic cyst

This type of functional cyst occurs when bleeding occurs within a cyst. Symptoms such as abdominal pain on one side of the body may be present with this type of cyst.
Hemorrhagic diarrhea, E. coli

Bloody colitis (inflammation of the bowel) caused by E. coli, usually by the strain E. coli 0157:H7. The diarrhea is severe with painful abdominal cramps, gross blood in the stool, and lasts for 6 to 8 days. Most…
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

A number of diseases, also known as hemorrhagic fever, characterized by an abrupt onset of high fever and chills, headache, cold and cough, and pain in the muscles, joints and abdomen with nausea and vomiting followed…
Hemorrhagic fever, epidemic

A number of diseases characterized by an abrupt onset of high fever and chills, headache, cold and cough, and pain in the muscles, joints and abdomen with nausea and vomiting followed by bleeding into the kidney and…
Hemorrhoid

A dilated (enlarged) vein in the walls of the anus and sometimes around the rectum, usually caused by untreated constipation but occasionally associated with chronic diarrhea. The symptoms start with bleeding after…
Hemorrhoidectomy

Surgical removal of hemorrhoids (enlarged and dilated veins in and around the rectum and anus). Hemorrhoidectomy is usually reserved for severe hemorrhoids if more conservative treatment measures fail to alleviate the…
Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids: See: Hemorrhoid.
Hemostasis

The stoppage of bleeding or hemorrhage. Also, the stoppage of blood flow through a blood vessel or organ of the body. Hemostasis is the arrest of bleeding, whether it be by normal vasoconstriction (the vessel walls…
Hemostasis, genetics of

Inherited factors that play a role in hemostasis, the stoppage of blood flow through a blood vessel. There is genetic regulation of proteins involved in hemostasis and atherothrombotic disorders, including myocardial…
Hendra virus

A virus, formerly called equine morbillivirus, that can cause illness in horses and humans. First identified in 1994 in Australia where the virus caused the death of two patients, one of pneumonia and the other of…
Henna

A coloring made from the leaves of the Egyptian privet, Lawsonia inermis. Approved only for use as a hair dye, not for direct application to the skin, as in the body-decorating process known as mehndi. This unapproved…
Henoch-Schonlein purpura

Henoch-Schonlein purpura: See: Schonlein-Henoch purpura.
HEOD

The abbreviation for the scientific name of the insecticide dieldrin. (The scientific name for dieldrin [1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-6,7-epoxy-1,4,4á,5,6,7,8,8á-octahydro-1,4-endo,exo-5,8-dimethanonaphthalene] is not…
HEPA

Acronym that stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air and for High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestor. HEPA filters are used for isolation and immunocompromise units, operating rooms, removal of allergens from the air…
Hepar

The liver or a preparation made from it. The term hepar is not often used today. It is a direct borrowing of the Greek hepar, liver
Heparin

An anticoagulant (anti-clotting) medication. Heparin is useful in preventing thromboembolic complications (clots that travel from their site of origin through the blood stream to clog up another vessel). Heparin is also…
Heparin, low-weight

A newer form of the drug heparin (brand name: Lovenox, Fragmin) that has a lower molecular weight than normal heparin. Fewer blood tests are needed, and it may be . superior to regular (unfractionated) heparin in cases…
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

Low blood platelet count as a result of the medication heparin. Heparin is used to treat and prevent abnormal blood clotting. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia can be mild or serious and fatal
Hepat-

Having to do with the liver. Pronounced hi-'pa-tik. From the Latin hepaticus derived from the Greek hepar meaning (not too surprisingly) the liver.
Hepatic

An artery that distributes blood to the liver, pancreas and gallbladder as well as to the stomach and duodenal portion of the small intestine.
Hepatic artery

See: Liver biopsy.
Hepatic biopsy

See: Liver biopsy
Hepatic duct

A duct that carries bile from the liver into the common bile duct which conveys it to the duodenum (the upper part of the small intestine). There are three hepatic ducts: the right hepatic duct (which drains bile from…
Hepatic duct, common

See: Common hepatic duct
Hepatic duct, left

See: Left hepatic duct
Hepatic duct, right

See: Right hepatic duct
Hepatic ductular hypoplasia, syndromatic

Also called Alagille syndrome or arteriohepatic dysplasia, this is a genetic disorder characterized by jaundice in the newborn period, liver disease with cholestasis, peripheral pulmonic stenosis and unusual face…
Hepatic encephalopathy

Brain dysfunction directly due to liver dysfunction, most often recognized in advanced liver disease. Hepatic encephalopathy may cause disturbances of consciousness and progress to coma. Hepatic encephalopathy is…
Hepatic hemangioma

Hepatic hemangioma: A common benign tumor of the liver made up of small blood vessels. It is 4-6 times more common in women than men. These tumors are usually small, a quarter inch (less than 1 cm) in diameter, cause no…
Hepatic transplant

See: Liver transplant
Hepatic vein

One of the veins which drains blood from the liver
Hepatic-

A combining form used before a vowel to indicate a relationship to a hepatic duct or the liver. From the Greek hepar meaning liver
Hepatico-

A combining form used before a consonant to indicate a relationship to a hepatic duct or the liver. From the Greek hepar meaning liver
Hepatitis

Inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV is usually transmitted from person to person by food or drink that has been contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A. This type of…
Hepatitis A

Inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV is usually transmitted from person to person by food or drink that has been contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A. This type of…
Hepatitis A immunization

When immediate protection against hepatitis A (infectious hepatitis) is needed, immunoglobulins are used. Protection is effective only if given within 2 weeks of exposure and lasts but 2-4 months. Immunoglobulins can be…
Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B: Inflammation of the liver due to the hepatitis B virus (HBV), once thought to be passed only through blood products. It is now known that hepatitis B can also be transmitted via needle sticks, body piercing…
Hepatitis B immunization

Hepatitis B immunization: Hepatitis B (hep B) vaccine gives prolonged protection, but 3 shots over a half year are usually required. In the U.S., all infants receive hep B vaccine. Two vaccines (Energix-B, and…
Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C: Inflammation of the liver due to the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is usually spread by blood transfusion, hemodialysis, and needle sticks. HCV causes most transfusion-associated hepatitis, and the damage…