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Diseases » Blood conditions » Glossary

Glossary for Blood conditions

Acidosis: Excess acidic toxins or waste products in the blood
Alkalosis: Blood alkalinity levels too high (opposite of acidosis)
All Disease Categories: All major disease categories
Amyloidosis: A rare group of metabolic disorders where a protein called amyloid accumulates in body organs and tissues where it can cause damage and is potentially fatal. Symptoms depend on the organs involved. There are numerous forms of the condition: primary amyloidosis, secondary amyloidosis, hemodialysis-associated amyloidosis and familial amyloidosis.
Anemia: Reduced ability of blood to carry oxygen from various possible causes.
Aplastic anemia: A blood disorder where the bone marrow produces insufficient new blood cells.
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is characterized by an abnormal immune system response which leads to the destruction of red blood cells and hence anemia. The severity of the condition varies depending on the underlying cause e.g. cytomegalovirus, hepatitis, HIV and lupus. The condition may develop gradually or occur suddenly and cause serious symptoms.
Autoimmune Hemophilia: Hemophilia caused by an autoimmune reaction
Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome: An inherited autoimmune condition characterized by proliferation of lymphocytes and autoimmunity against the body's own blood cells resulting in premature death of certain blood cells.
Autoimmune Thrombocytopenia: Autoimmune disorder causing a lack of blood platelets.
Avascular necrosis: Bone death from lack of circulation.
Bacteremia: A condition where there is the presence of bacteria in the blood
Balance disorders: Various disorders impairing the body's sense of balance.
Beta thalassemia: Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by abnormal synthesis of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin consists of two main protein chains called ? and ?. Beta thalassemia involves defects in one or more of the two genes required to make each ? protein chain. The main symptom is anemia, the severity of which can vary amongst patients depending on how many defective genes are involved.
Bleeding disorders: Any disorder leading to bleeding or bruising.
Blood vessel conditions: Conditions that affect the blood vessels
Cerebrovascular accident: Occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted and results in cell injury and death.
Chemical poisoning - Jet Fuel-8: Jet Fuel-8 is an aviation turbine fuel used by the US military. Ingestion and other exposures to the chemical can cause various symptoms. The type and severity of symptoms varies depending on the amount of chemical involved and the nature of the exposure.
Chemical poisoning - Lead-containing Paint: Lead pain contains lead as well as other harmful chemicals. The lead in the pain is toxic (especially to young children) and ingesting fresh or old paint can cause serious symptoms. The type and severity of symptoms varies depending on the amount of chemical involved and the nature of the exposure.
Circulatory disorder: Disease affecting circulation of blood
Classic Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis: A condition which is characterized by the formation of an acidosis due to a problem with the renal distal tubule
Clotting disorders: Disorder with excessive clotting
Dialysis-related amyloidosis: Amyloidosis (protein deposits) from kidney dialysis treatment.
Eclampsia: Eclampsia is the development of seizures or coma in pregnant women suffering from high blood pressure. Eclampsia is a serious condition which requires urgent medical treatment. Eclampsia may be associated with moderate as well as significant increases in blood pressure. The blood pressure can return to normal after delivery or may persist for a period of time.
Eugenol oil poisoning: Eugenol oil is used as a supplement or as a therapeutic ingredient in various medications and foods but excessive doses of undiluted oil can cause symptoms. Smoking undiluted cloves in cigarettes can also cause symptoms. The type and severity of symptoms varies depending on the amount of chemical involved and the nature of the exposure.
Fatigue: Excessive tiredness or weakness.
Favism: Form of hemolytic anemia
Headache: In medicine a headache or cephalalgia is a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and sometimes neck. Some of the causes are benign while others are medical emergencies. It ranks among the most common pain complaints
Hemochromatosis: Excess of iron leading to problems with joints, liver, heart and pancreas.
Hemolytic disease of the newborn: Blood disease in newborns mainly related to Rh incompatibility
Hemolytic uremic syndrome: A rare condition characterized by acute kidney failure, hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia (reduced blood platelet count). The condition is often caused by upper respiratory infections or infectious diarrhea.
Hemophilia: Blood disease usually genetic causing failure to clot.
Hepatocellular jaundice: A condition which is characterized by jaundice due to injury or damage to the hepatocellular cells of the liver
High Cholesterol: High levels of blood cholesterol, triglycerides, or other lipids.
Hypercalcemia: Raised level of calcium in the blood
Hyperinsulinemia: High insulin levels in the blood
Hyperkalemia: The excess of potassium in the blood
Hyperkalemic Renal Tubular Acidosis: A condition characterized by the inability of the kidneys to excrete acidic urine as well as an accumulation of potassium in the body
Hypertension: High blood pressure
Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar level
Hypokalemia: Low levels of potassium in the body.
Hypotension: Blood pressure that is too low
Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Reduced blood platelets causing visible skin blemishes from bleeding or bruising.
Intrauterine Growth Retardation: Slowly growing fetus in the womb during pregnancy
Iron deficiency: When there is a deficiency of iron in the body
Iron deficiency anemia: Iron-deficiency anemia is a blood condition characterized by low levels of iron in the body which leads to a reduction in the number of red blood cells.
Jaundice: Bile or liver problem causing yellowness.
Leukemia: Cancer of the blood cells, usually white blood cells.
Malaise: General feelings of discomfort or being ill-at-ease.
Meningococcal disease: Dangerous bacterial infection causing meningitis or bacteremia.
Methaemoglobinaemia: The presence of methaemoglin in the a persons blood
Multiple Myeloma: A rare malignant cancer that occurs in the bone marrow. More common in skull, spine, rib cage, pelvis and legs.
Multiple sclerosis - ichthyosis - factor 8 deficiency: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by multiple sclerosis, scaly skin and a blood anomaly.
Myeloma: A primary malignancy of the plasma cells
Oligohydramnios: A deficiency in the amount of amniotic fluid in the gestational sac during pregnancy
Orthostatic hypotension: Sudden low blood pressure when a person stands up or changes posture.
Pernicious anemia: Pernicious anemia is a blood disorder where the body is unable to use it properly use Vitamin B12 to make red blood cells.
Polycythemia: Excess red blood cells in the blood
Porphyria: A group of disorders characterized by excess production of porphyrin or its precursors which affects the skin and/or nervous system.
Pregnancy toxemia /hypertension: Preeclampsia is the development of high blood pressure, excess protein in the urine and swelling during pregnancy. Hypertension is a serious health condition due to the fact that it often causes no symptoms until it is severe. The blood pressure usually returns to normal after delivery.
Primary amyloidosis: Protein deposits with no underly cause.
Proteinuria: Protein in the urine
Proximal Renal Tubular Acidosis: This is a condition that is characterised by a metabolic acidosis state caused by impairment of a persons renal function
Pulmonary hypertension: Pulmonary hypertension refers to high blood pressure in the blood vessels that carry blood to the lungs. Blood pressure in other parts of the body is normal or sometimes even low. The condition may be caused by such things as lung conditions (e.g. emphysema, chronic bronchitis), heart conditions (e.g. congestive heart failure, birth defects involving heart), AIDS or medications such as fenfluramine (a diet drug). Sometimes it occurs for no apparent reason and is called primary pulmonary hypertension.
Purpura: Various bruising conditions where small blood vessels hemorrhage
Renal Tubular Acidosis: A rare disorder where the kidneys secrete too much hydrogen and don't reabsorb enough bicarbonate which can result in symptoms such as excessive blood acidity and loss of potassium.
SCID: Major failure of the immune system, usually genetic.
Septicemia: A systemic inflammatory response to an infection.
Shock: Severe condition from reduced blood circulation
Shortness of breath: The feeling of being short of breath
Sickle Cell Anemia: Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by red blood cells which are crescent-shaped rather than the normal doughnut shape. These abnormally shaped red blood cells are unable to function normally and tend to undergo premature destruction which leads to anemia. If the genetic defect which causes the condition is inherited from both parents the condition can be quite severe whereas if it is inherited from only one parent, often there are no symptoms. The abnormally shaped red blood cells can cause problems when they clump together and block blood vessels.
Syncope, familial neurocardiogenic: A familial condition where a person suffers an increased tendency to faint due to a sudden drop in blood pressure.
Thalassemia: Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by abnormal synthesis of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin consists of two main protein chains called ? and ?. There are two subtypes of the disorder (? and ?) depending on what portion of the hemoglobin is abnormally synthesized. Each of these subtypes can be further classified depending on the number of thalassemia genes involved. A total of four genes is needed to make each ? protein chains and two genes are needed to make each ? chain. The main symptom is anemia, the severity of which can vary amongst patients depending on how many defective genes are involved.
Thrombocytopenia: Decreased platelets in the blood
Thrombosis: Blood clot occurring in a blood vessel
Vicodin overdose: Vicodin is a prescription drug used to pain. Excessive doses of the drug can result in various symptoms and even death in severe cases.
Von Willebrand disease: A rare inherited blood coagulation disorder characterized by a deficiency or defect in plasma protein called the von Willebrand factor which leads to bleeding problems
Weight loss: Loss of body weight.