In the Midst of Life

body’s otherwise normal functions may go wrong.
    Embolism / embolus / emboli: an object migrating from one part of the body to another which occludes a blood vessel, e.g. blood clot.
    Encapsulated: a growth confined to a specific, localised area.
    Endogenous clinical depression: depression that people are born with. It is thought it may be genetic.
    Endomorphs: endorphins, the body’s natural morphine-like substances which give the ‘feel good’ factor.
    Endotracheal tube: a tube placed into the lungs via the mouth and throat. It may be used during surgery to help a person breathe. It is usually temporary.
    Epiglottis: a cartilaginous flap of skin which lies between the trachea and the gullet. When swallowing food, saliva or fluid, the epiglottis closes over the trachea to prevent food going in to the lungs.
    Erythrocyte sedimentation rates: the rate at which red blood cells precipitate within an hour. ESR is a general test indicating the presence of inflammation within thebody.
    Excoriated: when skin becomes raw, sore, and the top layers are removed.
    Exudate: a fluid that filters from the circulatory system into lesions or areas of inflammation.
    Feed-pegs: or peg tubes: tubes inserted directly into the stomach through the skin which can allow liquid feed to be given to the patient. Useful when patients lose the ability to swallow such as after a stroke.
    Fehlings solution: used to detect sugar in the urine.
    Fibrillating: when the heart muscle is rapidly twitching in an uncoordinated way.
    Flavine gauze: gauze soaked in flavine, an antiseptic.
    Gastrectomy or gastric resection: this is when part or the whole of the stomach is removed.
    Gastric intubation and suction: A tube inserted through the person’s nose into their stomach (called a naso-gastric tube) which can then be used to drain the fluids away more comfortably and cleanly. A syringe can be attached to the tube and used to remove the stomach’s contents by ‘suction’.
    Gastro-enterologist: a specialist in the gastro-intestinal tract, digestion and its disorders.
    Glucose and saline infusion: (see ‘infusion’ as well) an infusion into the vein of a mix of weak saline (salt) and glucose (sugar) solution.
    Glyceryl trinitrate: a drug used to treat angina.
    Glycosuria: the excretion of glucose into the urine.
    Haemoglobin levels: haemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells which carries oxygen.
    Hallucinogenic: substances causing hallucinations.
    Hardened arteries: arteries are normally elastic to cope with the pressure of blood being pushed around the body: this elasticity allows the arteries to maintain the blood pressure.
    Hemiplegic: one-sided weakness ofthe body.
    Hiatus hernia: caused by the upper part of the stomach pushing through the hole in the diaphragm.
    Hippocratic Oath: historically, an oath taken by doctors to practise ethically in medicine. It has been taken over by another oath in the USA. In the UK it has been taken over by a different code of conduct.
    Huntingdon’s chorea: a degenerative disease of the brain, whereby the person suffers physical, cognitive and functional effects. It is hereditary and always fatal.
    Hydraulic air bed: a specialised bed used to prevent pressure and bedsores in someone with reduced mobility.
    Hypoglycaemia: low blood sugar levels. Can occur in diabetics when they do not take in enough glucose from their diet.
    Hyper-glycaemia is high blood sugar levels, again caused by diabetes. Symptoms build up over several days but if not treated it can affect vision, nerves and circulation.
    Hypothalamus: a very small part of the brain, which controls temperature, hunger, thirst and circadian rhythms (the twenty-four-hour body clock).
    Iliac crest: part of the pelvic bone.
    Iliac vein: main veins of the pelvis.
    Infarction: the process of tissue death caused by lack of circulation to the area.
    Involuntary reflexes: these are the body’s responses to certain things and which cannot be controlled by the mind.
    Irritable bowel: a disease in which the bowel becomes irritated by something, either an allergy, disease or drugs, which causes profuse diarrhoea or constipation.
    Ischaemic heart disease: death of heart tissue caused by blockage of blood vessels.
    IV’s: short for intravenous, a term used for anything given via a vein.
    Jugular: the largest vein in the body, situated in theneck.
    Ketones: a by-product of the breakdown of fatty tissue in the body, usually occurring in diabetics.
    Lapatoromy: This is