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Oat cell carcinoma- another
term for small-cell carcinoma
Obesity- a condition in which
there is an excess of body fat; used to describe those
who weigh at least 20 percent more than the maximum amount
considered normal for their age, sex, and height
Obsessive-compulsive
disorder-
a mental disorder in which a person is obsessed with certain
thoughts, leading them to repeatedly perform specific
acts; for example, constantly washing the hands out of
fear of germs and dirt
Obstructive
sleep apnea-
the blockage of the airways during sleep, which causes
breathing to stop for very short periods of time, commonly
caused by excessive relaxation of muscles at the back
of the throat
Occlusion-
the blocking of an opening or passageway in the body
Occult
blood-
blood in the feces that can be detected only by chemical
tests
Occupational
disease-
a disease that occurs as a result of factors in the workplace
Occupational
therapy-
treatment to relearn physical skills lost as a result
of an illness or accident
Ocular-
describes something related to the eyes
Oculomotor
nerves-
nerves that stimulate movement of the eyeball
Olfactory
nerves-
nerves that play a role in the sense of smell
Oligodendroglioma-
a rare type of cancerous brain tumor that occurs most
commonly in the cerebrum
Oligohydramnios-
an unusually small amount of amniotic fluid surrounding
the fetus in the uterus, which can lead to complications
with the pregnancy
Oligospermia-
a low level of sperm in the semen; one of the main causes
of infertility in men
Oncogenes-
genes that, when altered by environmental factors or viruses,
can cause abnormal cell growth
Oocyte-
an egg cell that has not developed completely
Oophorectomy-
the surgical removal of one or both ovaries; used to treat
the growth of ovarian cysts or tumors
Open
heart surgery-
any operation in which the heart is stopped temporarily
and a machine is used to take over its function of pumping
blood throughout the body
Ophthalmia- severe inflammation
of the eyes
Ophthalmologist-
a doctor who specializes in care of the eyes; treats eye
diseases and disorders
Ophthalmoplegia-
partial or total loss of the ability to move the eyes
Ophthalmoscopy-
examination of the inside of the eye using a lighted viewing
instrument
Opportunistic
infection-
infection by organisms that would be harmless to a healthy
person, but cause infection in those with a weakened immune
system (for example, persons with AIDS or chemotherapy
patients)
Optic-
pertaining to the eyes
Optician-
a person who specializes in the making and adjustment
of eyeglasses and contact lenses
Optic
nerves-
the pair of nerves that carry visual information from
the retina to the brain
Optic
neuritis-
inflammation of the optic nerve, often causing a partial
loss of vision
Oral
contraceptives-
drugs taken in pill form to prevent pregnancy; contain
synthetic progesterone and estrogen hormones
Orbit-
the socket in the skull that contains the eyeball, along
with its blood vessels, nerves, and muscles
Orchiectomy-
the surgical removal of one or both of the testicles
Orchiopexy-
an operation to correct an undescended testicle
Orchitis-
inflammation of a testicle, which can be caused by infection
with the mumps virus
Organ
donation-
an agreement to allow one or more organs to be removed
and transplanted into someone else
Organism-
any single, functioning form of life
Orgasm-
involuntary contraction of genital muscles experienced
at the peak of sexual excitement
Orphan
drugs-
drugs used to treat rare diseases; not normally produced
because potential sales are small
Orthopnea-
breathing difficulty experienced while lying flat; can
be a symptom of heart failure or asthma
Orthotic-
a device used to correct or control deformed bones, muscles,
or joints
Osgood-Schlatter
disease-
painful enlargement and inflammation of the area of the
shinbone just below the knee, usually occurring in adolescent
boys
Osmosis-
the process of passage of the solvent portion of a lesser-concentrated
solution through a semipermeable membrane into a higher-concentrated
solution until the two solutions are equal in concentration;
plays an important role in water distribution in the body
Ossification-
the formation and maintenance of bone
Osteitis-
inflammation of bone
Osteitis
deformans-
another name for Paget's disease
Osteoarthritis-
see Degenerative arthritis
Osteoblast-
a cell that forms bone
Osteochondritis
dissecans-
bone degeneration inside of a joint, causing small pieces
of bone and cartilage to become detached
Osteochondritis
juvenilis-
inflammation of a growing section of bone in a child or
adolescent
Osteochondroma-
a noncancerous tumor made up of bone and cartilage
Osteoclast-
a cell that breaks down unwanted bone tissue; also refers
to a device for fracturing a bone to correct a deformity
Osteodystrophy- defective
bone formation
Osteogenesis
imperfecta-
a genetic disorder in which bones are abnormally fragile,
leading to multiple breaks and deformity
Osteolysis- the softening
and destruction of bone
Osteoma-
a noncancerous bone tumor
Osteomalacia-
the loss of minerals and softening of bones because of
a lack of vitamin D; called rickets in children
Osteomyelitis-
the inflammation of bones and bone marrow because of an
infection, usually caused by bacteria
Osteopetrosis-
a rare hereditary disorder in which bones become harder
and more dense, causing them to break more easily
Osteophyte-
an outgrowth of bone near a joint
Osteoporosis-
a condition in which bones become less dense, more brittle,
and fracture easily
Osteosarcoma-
a cancerous bone tumor
Osteosclerosis-
an abnormal increase in density and hardness of bone
Otalgia-
the medical term for an earache
OTC
remedy- see Over-the-counter remedy
Otitis
externa-
inflammation of the outer ear due to an infection; commonly
called swimmer's ear
Otitis
media- inflammation of the middle ear (between
the eardrum and inner ear) because of the spread of an
infection from the nose, sinuses, and throat
Otorrhea-
a discharge from an inflamed ear Otosclerosis- progressive
deafness caused by bone formation around structures in
the middle ear
Ototoxicity-
harmful effect that some drugs have on the organs or nerves
in the ears, which can lead to hearing and balance problems
Outpatient
treatment- medical attention that does not
include an overnight stay at a hospital
Ovaries-
two almond-shaped glands located at the opening of the
fallopian tubes on both sides of the uterus; produce eggs
and the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone
Overdose-
an excessively large dose of a drug, which can lead to
coma and death
Over-the-counter
remedy- a medication that can be purchased
without a physician's prescription
Ovulation-
the development and release of the egg from the ovary,
which usually occurs halfway through a woman's menstrual
cycle
Ovum-
another term for an egg cell
Oxidation-
a chemical reaction involving active sources of oxygen
(called oxygen free radicals) that damages cells
Oximetry-
determination of the amount of oxygen in the blood by
measuring the amount of light transmitted through an area
of skin
Oxygen-
a gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless; essential
to almost all forms of life
Oxygen
free radicals- active forms of oxygen found
in pollution, cigarette smoke, and radiation that can
damage cells and are believed to play a role in the aging
process and cancer
Oxytocin-
a hormone produced in the pituitary gland that causes
contraction of the uterus during childbirth and stimulation
of milk flow during breast-feeding
Ozone-
a poisonous form of oxygen that is present in the earth's
upper atmosphere, where it helps to screen the earth from
damaging ultraviolet rays |
