Medical “A”

1. A substance (often a protein) that the immune system recognizes as foreign, prompting an immune response.
2. Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs between the air and the bloodstream.
3. Wasting away or decrease in size of a body part or tissue, often due to disuse or disease.
5. A collection of pus that forms in tissues, organs, or spaces in the body, usually due to infection.
7. Temporary cessation of breathing, especially during sleep (as in sleep apnea).
8. The abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity, often due to liver disease or cancer.
9. An irregular or abnormal rhythm of the heart, which can affect its ability to pump blood effectively.
11. The absence of electrical activity in the heart, resulting in no heartbeat or pulse.
12. Loss of appetite or refusal to eat, which may occur as a symptom of disease (not to be confused with anorexia nervosa, a psychological eating disorder).
13. A condition characterized by a loss of memory, often caused by brain injury, disease, or psychological trauma.

1. A type of joint disorder characterized by degeneration of cartilage and bone, often leading to pain and stiffness.
2. An abnormal bulge or ballooning in the wall of a blood vessel, typically in the brain or aorta.
3. A condition where there is a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood, leading to fatigue and weakness.
4. A chronic lung condition that causes difficulty breathing due to inflammation and narrowing of the airways.
5. Inflammation of one or more joints, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.
6. A severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can affect multiple organ systems.
7. The failure of an organ or tissue to develop normally.
8. A language disorder caused by brain damage that affects a person’s ability to communicate.
9. An extreme form of hypoxia, where there is a total absence of oxygen in body tissues.
10. A benign tumor that arises from glandular tissue.