Glossary
BioScience.com.pk try the best to avoid the use of medical terms that could make it more difficult to understand the information on this website. Still, there are a number of terms that can't be avoided and that are useful to know because they are so often used by the doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals with whom you might speak. The list below includes the terms used on BioScience.com.pk for which we have provided definitions.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Hypoxia | Lack of oxygen |
| Hypothalamus | Area of the brain located just above the brainstem that controls the pituitary gland and regulates many bodily functions, such as body temperature, hunger, thirst, sleep, and mood through the release of hormones |
| Hypopituitarism | Condition caused by a decrease in or loss of production of pituitary hormones |
| Hypopituitarism | Condition caused by a decrease in or loss of production of pituitary hormones |
| Hypoparathyroidism | A condition characterized by underactivity of the parathyroid glands and reduced production of parathyroid hormone (PTH), a hormone that controls calcium and phosphate levels in blood and calcium in bone. Symptoms may include tingling in the fingers and toes, muscle aches and spasms, fatigue, dry skin and brittle nails, headaches, anxiety, and depression. |
| Hyponatremia | Lower than normal potassium levels in the blood |
| Hypokalemia | Lower than normal potassium levels in the blood |
| Hypogonadism | A condition associated with defective function of the gonads (ovaries in females, testes in males) resulting in little or no production of hormones |
| Hypoglycemia | Lower than normal glucose levels in the blood |
| Hypofibrinogenemia | Low production of fibrinogen |
| Hypochromic | Paler than normal red blood cells |
| Hypocalcemia | Lower than normal calcium level in the blood |
| Hyperplasia | An increase in the number of cells in an organ, causing enlargement of that organ; this term most often refers to glandular organs, such as the prostate and the adrenal glands. Hyperplasia can produce problems related to a gland's larger size (as in benign prostatic hyperplasia) or excess functioning of the gland (as in adrenal hyperplasia). |
| Hyperpituitarism | Condition caused by increased production of pituitary hormones |
| Hyperparathyroidism | A condition characterized by an overproduction of parathyroid hormone (PTH), a hormone that controls calcium and phosphate levels in blood and calcium in bone; it is made by the parathyroid glands. Primary hyperparathyroidism causes high calcium and low phosphate levels, and can cause kidney stones occasionally. Secondary hyperparathyroidism is caused by low levels of calcium or vitamin D, or high levels of phosphate; it is commonly caused by chronic kidney disease. Either form can cause osteoporosis or bone pain. |
