Medical Terminology - Diseases of the Blood, Lymphatic, & Immune Systems

anemia

lack of something in the bloodstream

acute posthemorrhagic anemia

red blood cell deficiency caused by blood loss

sideropenia

deficiency of iron

B₁₂ deficiency

insufficient blood level of cobalamin

folate deficiency

lack of folate that leads to anemia

hypovolemia

deficiency of the volume of circulating blood

IF test

Intrinsic Factor; examines how much B₁₂ is absorbed in the body

aplastic anemia

suppression of the bone marrow function, leading to a reduction in RBC production

autoimmune acquired hemolytic anemia

when a person’s immune system attacks RBCs

nonautoimmune acquired hemolytic anemia

caused by drugs or infectious agents

sickle cell anemia

inherited anemia characterized by crescent-shaped RBCs; African Americans are most likely to get this disease.

sickle cell crisis

an acute, painful episode of sickle cell anemia

hemophilia

when the body cannot clot

polycythemia vera

too many RBCs

purpura

characterized by hemorrhage in the tissues

thrombocytopenia

deficiency of platelets that leads to an inability of the blood to clot

septicemia

infection in the blood

septic shock

caused by low blood pressure; can lead to organ failure and death

leukocytosis

increase in white blood cells

leukopenia

deficiency in white blood cells

edema

swelling

lymphedema

an accumulation of lymphatic fluid and swelling caused by removal of lymph vessels

hypersplenism

when the spleen overworks itself

lymphadenitis

inflammation of a lymph node

lymphadenopathy

a disease of the lymph nodes or vessels; may be localized or generalized

lymphagitis

inflammation of the lymph vessels

lymphocytopenia

deficiency of lymphocytes

lymphocytosis

too many lymphocytes

acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

when HIV attacks the helper T cells

allergy

when the immune system overreacts to irritants

anaphylaxis

extreme form of an allergic response

What is the difference between an immediate reaction vs a delayed reaction?

immediate reaction: hypersensitivity caused by allergies

delayed reaction: when activated T cells respond to exposure of chemical irritants 2 days later

thymoma

noncancerous tumor of epithelial origin and is associated with myasthenia gravis

acute lymphocytiic leukemia (ALL)

most common cancer in children

acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)

a rapidly progressive form of leukemia that develops from immature bone marrow stem cells

hodgkin lymphoma

cancer of the lymphatic system

non-hodgkin lymphoma

most common cancer in America

multiple myeloma

a rare malignancy of the plasma cells formed from B lymphocytes; it is called plasmacytoma if it occurs in the bone

Can leukemia develop in elderly people and young children?

Yes; the main difference is that acute lymphocytic leukemia is common in young children, while acute myelogenous leukemia is common in older adults.