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Variations
in Hospitalizations for Medical Conditions Glossary of Medical Terms |
Ambulatory care - Medical care (including diagnosis, observation, treatment and rehabilitation) provided on an outpatient basis. Ambulatory care is given to persons who are not confined to a hospital but rather are clinically and physically able to be transferred between home or non-hospital facility in order to receive diagnostic or treatment services.
Medical M-DRGs - A system that categorizes patients into specific groups based on their medical diagnosis and other characteristics such as age. The procedures are also rated in terms of cost and intensity of services delivered. A standard rate per procedure is derived from this scale, which is paid by Medicare for its beneficiaries regardless of the cost to the hospital to provide that service. This reimbursement method is now used for non-Medicare patients as well.
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The
Surgical Treatment of Common Diseases Glossary of Medical Terms |
Anastamosis - A surgical connection between two vessels or body tube / channel.
Asymptomatic - Without symptoms or physical signs.
Cholecystitis - Inflammation and or infection of the gall bladder.
Endometriosis - A condition in which fragments of the membrane that line the uterus (endometrium) are found outside the uterus, in other pelvic organs, or other parts of the abdomen.
Myringotomy tubes - Tubes inserted to release fluid and exchange air after build up in an infected or inflamed inner ear.
Oopherectomy - Surgical removal of one or both ovaries; used to treat the disorders of the ovary.
Palliative - Treatment that relieves the symptoms or discomfort of a disorder without curing it.
Perinatal - Occurring just before or just after birth.
Sleep Apnea - A condition in which breathing stops for periods of time during sleep due to on and off blockage of air passages.
Tomography - X-ray pictures of body parts that show sections of the anatomy instead of full views. This approach allows for a better view of small areas.
Uterine Leiomyomas - A non-cancerous tumor of muscle and fibrous tissue of the uterus wall.
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Coronary
Artery Disease Glossary of Medical Terms |
Ambulatory
care
- Medical care provided on an outpatient basis including diagnosis, observation,
treatment and rehabilitation. Care is usually provided through a series of clinic
visits and doesn’t need to be rendered in a hospital.
Cannula - A tube or sheath enclosing a needle or
rod. The tube allows the escape or injection of fluid after withdrawal of the
needle.
Cardiac revascularization - A
procedure performed (angioplasty, open heart bypass surgery and, on occasion,
medicine) to prevent a heart attack or to stop one already in progress.
A coronary artery bypass graft operation is a type of heart surgery. It is sometimes
referred to as CABG or "cabbage." The surgery is done to reroute or "bypass"
blood flow around clogged arteries and improve the supply of blood and oxygen
to the heart muscle.
Coronary angiography - An X-ray examination
of the blood vessels or chambers of the heart. The doctor observes the course
and flow of vessels by looking at images, visible by X-ray, of a special fluid
(called a contrast or dye).
Echocardiography
- A technique that sends sound waves into the chest to rebound from the heart's
walls and valves. The recorded sound waves show the shape and movement of the
valves in a visual image. The image also shows the size of the heart chambers
and how well the heart muscle is functioning.
Left ventricular function - A
test performed to determine
how well the heart muscle pumps blood. The function is often reduced if there
is valvular heart disease or if a heart attack has occurred. The test is performed
via nuclear studies, echocardiogram or totally resting (not stress test).
Myocardial infarction - The medical
term for heart attack. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to part of
the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped. This occurs when one of the
arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) is blocked.
The blocks are usually from the buildup of plaque (deposits of fat-like substances)
due to atherosclerosis.
Myocardial ischemia - A state where
heart function is abnormal. It is caused by insufficient blood flow to the muscle
tissue of the heart.
Nuclear studies - A study done to assess
if there is decreased blood flow or blockage to the heart. The image shows how
well the vessels allow blood to reach heart muscle percutaneous transluminal.
Coronary angioplasty - This procedure
is also known as PTCA, coronary artery balloon dilation or balloon angioplasty.
Therapy used for removing or reducing blocks in the vessels that supply the
heart muscle.
Perioperative mortality - Deaths
occurring around, during or after an operation.
Prognostic factor - Any aspect of a person's
medical/family history, symptoms, physical exam or test results that can be
used to predict the risk of health problems.
Restenosis - The reoccurrence of a constriction
or narrowing of a passage or orifice as in a heart valve or vessel.
Stress testing - A test performed to determine
if there is a decrease in the blood flow to the heart that could lead to a heart
attack or chest pain. It is usually performed via nuclear studies, echocardiography
or EKG while the heart is made to work hard (e.g. brisk walking).
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Practice
Variations and the Use of Prescription Drugs Glossary of Medical Terms |
ACE inhibitors - Drugs that block the formation of
a natural body chemical and dilate small arteries to reduce blood pressure.
Allergic rhinitis - Irritation of the nasal passages causing sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, itching and tearing of the eyes. Hay fever is an example of this condition.
Anxiolytics - Drugs that relax muscles, reduce tension and treat insomnia.
Beta blockers - A type of drug used to treat high blood pressure and heart disorders by reducing the response of the heart and blood vessels to nervous system stimulation.
Coefficient of variation -The coefficient of variation is a measure of relative risk and is calculated as the standard deviation divided by the average. It takes into account both the average and variability around the average of a data series. The larger the coefficient of variation, the greater the risk relative to the average.
Colectomy - The complete or partial surgical removal of the large intestine (the colon), usually as treatment for malignant tumor, inflammation or a narrowing and blockage of the intestine.
Dyspepsia - Commonly referred to as indigestion and includes a variety of symptoms of gastrointestinal origin, such as heartburn, nausea and vomiting, or belching.
Gastroesophageal reflux - A disorder where a reflux of gastric juices (acid) into the esophagus leads to inflammation and pain. Symptoms include heartburn, indigestion, increased belching and upper abdominal pain.
H2 blockers - Also called histamine blockers. Drugs used to treat ulcers and related disorders in which there is excess stomach acid.
HMG Coenzyme A reductase inhibitors - Also called cholesterol-reducing agents. Drugs used to lower blood cholesterol concentrations in people with atherosclerosis.
LDL cholesterol - A type of lipoprotein that is the major carrier of cholesterol in the blood. High levels of LDL are associated with narrowing of the arteries and heart disease.
Proton pump inhibitors - Drugs used to treat ulcers and related disorders in which there is excess stomach acid.
Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors - Antidepressant or mood-lifting drugs. These drugs block the reuptake of serotonin.
Statins - See HMG Coenzyme A reductase inhibitors.
Tricyclic antidepressant drugs - Antidepressant or mood-lifting drugs. These drugs block the uptake of norepinephrine.
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The
Problem of Unwanted Variations Glossary of Medical Terms |
Benign prostatic hyperplasia - Non-cancerous growth of the prostate gland. It often produces symptoms of slow or blocked urine flow.
Chronic sciatica - Pain which runs down the leg toward the foot usually caused by pressure on the nerve due to a slipped disk, tumor, abscess or mass. This situation is one where the pain lasts for a long period of time.
Epidemiology - The science concerned with the study of the factors determining and influencing the frequency and distribution of disease, injury, and other health-related events and their causes in a defined human population for the purpose of establishing programs to prevent and control their development and spread.
Lumpectomy - Surgical removal of a section of breast containing cancer.
Percutaneous coronary interventions - Procedures done for diagnosis or therapy which reach the heart through major blood vessels instead of having to open the chest.
Revascularization procedures - Procedures done to open a narrowing or blockage of the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle.
Spinal stenosis - A condition where the tube area inside the bony part of the spine is too narrow, which produces pressure on the nerves leading to symptoms of numbness, weakness and pain.
Transurethral prostatectomy - A procedure used to reduce an overgrowth of prostate tissue. The procedure is done using the tube that urine flows through rather than having to cut into the wall of the lower stomach.
The Dartmouth
Atlas of Healthcare in Michigan
© 2000 The Trustees of Dartmouth College
All other
material © 2000 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
and Blue Care Network
Nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of
the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
® Registered marks of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association,
an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans
