| AHCA | Agency for Health Care Administration; American Health Care Association |
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| AHF | acute heart failure; American Health Foundation; American Hepatic Foundation; American Hospital Form... |
| AHP | accountable health plan or partnership; acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis; after hyperpolarization; air... |
| AHS | Academy of Health Sciences; African horse sickness; alveolar hypoventilation syndrome; American Hear... |
| CHP | capillary hydrostatic pressure; charcoal hemoperfusion; Chemical Hygiene Plan; child psychiatry; com... |
| atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini | A form of slate-coloured atrophy of the skin occurring in discrete, 2-cm or larger lesions, either singly or multiply, and occasionally confluent, increasing in number and size over a period of years and then remaining constant; thought by some to be of two types: one preceded by morphea, and the other appearing with no preceding identifiable pathology. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| bacterial infections and mycoses | Infections caused by bacteria and fungi, general, specified, or unspecified. (12 Dec 1998) |
| ball-and-socket joint | A multiaxial synovial joint in which a more or less extensive sphere on the head of one bone fits into a rounded cavity in the other bone, as in the hip joint. Synonym: articulatio spheroidea, articulatio cotylica, cotyloid joint, enarthrodial joint, enarthrosis, socket joint, spheroid articulation, spheroid joint. (05 Mar 2000) |
| b and t cell count | A test that measures the respective quantities of B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes. This test is often performed in the analysis of an immune deficiency disorder. Normal values include: 68 to 75% of total lymphocytes are T lymphocytes and 10 to 20% are B lymphocytes. Increased T-cell counts can indicate infectious mononucleosis, acute lymphocytic leukaemia or multiple myeloma. Increased B lymphocytes can indicate chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia or Di George syndrome. Decreased T-cells may indicate congenital T-cell deficiency, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome or AIDS. Decreased B-cells may indicate acute lymphocytic leukaemia or a congenital immunoglobulin deficiency disorder. (27 Sep 1997) |
| bedding and linens | Articles of cloth, usually cotton or rayon and other synthetic or cotton-blend fabrics, used in households, hospitals, physicians' examining rooms, nursing homes, etc., for sheets, pillow cases, toweling, gowns, drapes, and the like. (12 Dec 1998) |
| behavioural disciplines and activities | The specialties in psychiatry and psychology, their diagnostic techniques and tests, their therapeutic methods, and psychiatric and psychological services. (12 Dec 1998) |
| behaviour and behaviour mechanisms | The observable response made to a situation and the unconscious processes underlying it. (12 Dec 1998) |
| big axillary nodes and normal breasts | <radiology> Consider: lymphoma, leukaemia, rheumatoid arthritis (12 Dec 1998) |
| bile acids and salts | <chemical> Steroid acids and salts. The primary bile acids are derived from cholesterol in the liver and usually conjugated with glycine or taurine. The secondary bile acids are further modified by bacteria in the intestine. They play an important role in the digestion and absorption of fat. They have also been used pharmacologically, especially in the treatment of gallstones. Pharmacological action: cholagogues and choleretics, gastrointestinal agents. (12 Dec 1998) |
| biomedical and dental materials | Substances used in biomedicine or dentistry predominantly for their physical, as opposed to chemical, properties. (12 Dec 1998) |
| blood grouping and crossmatching | Testing erythrocytes to determine presence or absence of blood-group antigens, testing of serum to determine the presence or absence of antibodies to these antigens, and selecting biocompatible blood by crossmatching samples from the donor against samples from the recipient. Crossmatching is performed prior to transfusion. (12 Dec 1998) |
| body weights and measures | The systems of measurement applied to the height, weight, length, area, etc., of the human and animal body or its parts. (12 Dec 1998) |
| bone marrow biopsy and aspiration | <procedure> A procedure in which a needle is inserted into the centre of a bone, usually the hip, to remove a small amount of bone marrow for microscopic examination. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Bordet and Gengou reaction | <immunology> Binding of complement as a result of its interaction with immune complexes (the classical pathway) or particular surfaces (alternative pathway). (18 Nov 1997) |
| bowel disorders and fibre | High fibre diets help delay the progression of diverticulosis and, at least, reduce the bouts of diverticulitis. In many cases, it helps reduce the symptoms of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome ( IBS ). It is generally accepted that a diet high in fibre is protective, or at least reduces the incidence, of colon polyps and colon cancer. (12 Dec 1998) |