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Glossary


Glossary

AORTA - Largest artery in the body; it carries blood from the heart's left ventricle and distributes it throughout the body.

AUSCULTAION - To listen to the sounds made by the internal organs of the body for diagnostic purposes. For example, nurses and doctors auscultate the lungs and heart of a patient by using a stethoscope placed on the patient's chest.

CARDIAC OUTPUT - The amount of blood the heart pumps through the circulatory system in one minute.

CYANOSIS - Blue colored skin caused by too little oxygen in the blood.

CYCLOOXYGENASE – Enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of arachydonic acid to prostaglandins.

DIGOXIN – Drug used in the treatment of heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. It helps the heart to beat with more force.

DIURETICS – Drug used to increase the production of urine.

DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS – a blood vessel connecting pulmonary artery to the aorta.

ENDOCARDITIS - Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart, usually the heart valves; typically caused by an infection.

HEMODYNAMICAL – Forces involved in the blood circulation.

HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA - Increased blood levels of bilirubin.

NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS - Inflammatory disease of the intestines in premature infants.

OLIGURIA– decreased production of urine.

PATENT – Open.

PLATELETS - A type of blood cell that helps prevent bleeding by causing blood clots to form. Also called thrombocytes.

PROSTAGLANDIN - A group of extremely active substances derived from fatty acids in the body that affect many organs. Certain prostaglandins have a role in stimulating the uterine contractions of labor and birth.
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PULMONARY ARTERY – artery that carries oxygen depleted blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.

PULMONARY HYPERTENSION - Increased blood pressure in the arteries supplying blood to the lungs; caused by increased resistance to blood flow in the lungs, usually a result of a lung disease.

RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME – Lack of lung surfactant to keep the lungs open causes severe breathing discomfort.

SEPSIS - Infection with disease-causing microorganisms or other toxins in the bloodstream.

THROMBOCYTOPENIA - A condition in which there is an abnormally small number of platelets in the circulating blood.
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