Glossary of terms
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| Technical term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| acidosis | an abnormally high concentration of acid in the blood |
| catheter (urinary) | a flexible tube inserted into the bladder to allow the removal of urine |
| Cerebral oedema | an excess of fluid in the brain |
| CVP - central venous pressure | the pressure within the central veins returning blood to the heart |
| dehydration | loss or deficiency of water in body, tissues and blood |
| diabetic ketoacidosis | an excess of acid and ketones - an organic compound - which may be present in the body tissues and fluids, which develops in diabetics when their condition is getting out of control and may indicate approaching coma |
| fluid balance chart | a chart which records and sums a patient's input and output of liquid on a daily basis |
| gastritis | inflammation of the lining of the stomach |
| glycosuria | glucose in the urine |
| HbA1c - haemoglobin | an indirect measure of the effectiveness of blood glucose ('sugar') control in past two weeks |
| hyperglycaemia | an excess of sugar [glucose] in the blood |
| hypoglycaemia | a low concentration of glucose in the blood |
| hyponatraemia | a low concentration of sodium in blood, usually as a result of a relative excess of water but sometimes a result of salt loss |
| hypotension | low blood pressure |
| hypothyroid | reduced thyroid function |
| ketones | substances arising in metabolism when there is insufficiency of insulin |
| mass lesion | a solid abnormal appearance on scanning |
| pituitary apoplexy | collapse as a result of severe pituitary gland failure |
| subarachnoid haemorrhage | haemorrhage on the surface of the brain |
| subclavian | under the collar bone |
| tachycardia | rapid heart beat |
| type 1 diabetes | insulin dependent diabetes - requires treatment with insulin |
| Type 2 diabetic | non-insulin-dependent diabetic, whose pancreas has retained some ability to produce insulin but this is inadequate for the body's needs |
