Chapter: 4.7 Common Terms

Hypertension - a common disorder that is a known cardiovascular diseases risk factor. Hypertension is characterized by elevated blood pressure over the normal values of 120/80mm Hg in an adult over 18 years of age.

Incapacitating agents - drugs that interfere with the inability to think clearly or cause unconsciousness or some other altered state of consciousness. They include aerosolized opioids and the anticholinergic BZ.

Incontinence - the inability to control urination or defecation. Urinary incompetence may be caused by anatomic, physiologic, or pathologic factors. Treatment depends on the diagnosed cause. Fecal incontinence may result from relaxation of the anal sphincter or disorders of the central nervous system or spinal cord and may be treated by a program of bowel training.

Ischemia - a decreased supply of oxygenated blood to a body part. The condition is often marked by pain and organ dysfunction, as in ischemic heart disease.

Jaundice - a yellow discoloration of the skin mucous membranes, and sclerae of the eyes, caused by greater than normal amounts of bilirubin in the blood. Persons with jaundice may experience nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain and may pass dark urine and clay colored stools. Jaundice is a symptom of many disorders, including liver diseases, biliary obstruction and the hemolytic anaemias physiologic jaundice commonly develops in newborns and disappears after a few days.

Jugular Venous pressure - blood pressure in the jugular vein, which reflects the volume and pressure of venous blood. With elevated JVP, the neck vains may be distended as high as the angle of the jaw.

Ligation - the procedure of tying off a blood vessel or duct with a suture or wire ligature. It may be performed to stop or prevent bleeding during surgery, to stop spontaneous or traumatic hemorrhage, to prevent passage of material through a duct as in tubal ligation or to treat varicosities.

Liver Function Test - one of several tests used to evaluate various functions of the liver for example, metabolism, storage, filtration and excretion. Kinds of liver function tests include alkaline phosphatase, prothrombin time, serum bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase.

Lochia - the discharge that flows from the vagina after childbirth. During the first 2 to 4 days after delivery, the lochia is red or brownish red [ lochia rubra^l and is made up of blood, endometrial deciduas, fetal lanugo, vernix, and sometimes meconium, and it has a fleshy odor. About the third day amount of blood diminishes; the placental site exudes serous material, erythrocytes, lymph, cervical mucus, and microorganisms from the superficial layer called lochia serosa. During the next 10 to 14 days, bacteria appear in large numbers alongwith mucinous decidual material and epithelial cells, causing the lochia to appear whitish yellow ~lochia alba^l. This may continue for 3 to 6 weeks into the postpartum period.

Lucid interval - a period of relative mental clarity between periods or irrationality, especially in organic mental disorders such as delirium and dementia.