Common Diseases Vocabulary

Type 1 Diabetes

A chronic condition that affects the insulin making cells of the pancreas. It results in little to no insulin production.

Type 2 Diabetes

A chronic condition that consists of the body not being able to use insulin properly. It results in higher blood sugar levels as there is a lack in produced insulin.

Carbon Dioxide

Also deemed as hypercapnia. Condition where there is too much carbon dioxide in the blood. It is caused when the lungs cannot efficiently remove it.

Congestive Heart Failure

A chronic condition that happens when your heart cannot pump the blood well enough to provide the normal supply. It causes fluid buildup in the lungs, legs, and abdomen.

Stroke

An emergency that occurs when the blood flow to the brain is interrupted or when a blood vessel is ruptured which leads to brain cell death.

Dementia

A loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities to the degree of inhibiting daily activities.

Alzheimer’s Disease

A progressive, irreversible neurodegenerative disease that is caused by damage to the nerve cells in the brain. It damages memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities.

Anemia

A condition where there is not enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues.

Sepsis

A life-threatening, extreme reaction in response to an infection. It causes the immune system to harm healthy tissues and organs.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

A condition that occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body.

Urinary Tract Infection

An infection that occurs when the bacteria invade and grow in the urinary tract.

Asthma

A chronic condition that affects the airways in the lungs. The airways swell, narrow, and fill with mucus.

Influenza

A contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect tissues in the nose, throat, and lungs.

Rotavirus

A contagious gastrointestinal infection that causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines.

Clostridium Dificile

A gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that causes an infection of the colon, the longest part of the large intestine.

GERD

Also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease; a chronic condition that occurs when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus and causes heartburn.

Sleep Apnea

A condition that occurs when your breathing stops and restarts in the midst of your sleep. This condition prevents the body from getting enough oxygen.

Pressure Ulcer

Skin and soft tissue injuries that develop due to prolonged pressure that reduces blood flow to the affected area.

Bradypnea

An abnormal slow breathing rate that is identifiable by 12 or less breaths per minute.

Tachypnea

An abnormal rapid breathing rate that is identifiable by 20 or more breaths per minute.