| Vaccination |
a
form of immunization in which killed or weakened microorganisms
are placed into the body, where antibodies against them are
developed; if the same types of microorganisms enter the body
again, they will be destroyed by the antibodies |
| Vaccine |
a
preparation of weakened microorganisms given to create resistance
to a certain disease |
| Vacuum
aspiration |
removal
of the contents of the uterus using a suction device |
| Vacuum
extraction |
a
technique used to facilitate childbirth using a suction device
to help move the baby through the birth canal |
| Vagina |
the
muscular passage connecting the uterus with the outside genitals;
a component of the female reproductive system |
| Vaginismus |
an
involuntary muscle spasm at the opening of the vagina when
sexual intercourse is attempted; can be quite painful and
may make sexual intercourse nearly impossible |
| Vaginitis |
inflammation
of the vagina, which can be the result of infection, aging,
a hormone deficiency, or a foreign object (such as a tampon) |
| Valve |
a
structure that allows fluid flow in only one direction |
| Valvotomy |
surgical
correction of a narrowed heart valve |
| Valvular
heart disease |
a
heart valve defect |
| Valvuloplasty |
reconstruction
or repair of a narrowed heart valve |
| Varicella |
the
medical term for chickenpox |
| Varices |
enlarged
or twisted blood or lymph vessels |
| Varicocele |
the
appearance of varicose veins around the testicles; commonly
occurs and is harmless, but may cause discomfort |
| Varicose
veins |
enlarged,
twisted veins just below the surface of the skin, caused by
defective valves in the veins |
| Variola |
another
term for smallpox |
| Vascular |
pertaining
to blood vessels |
| Vasculitis |
inflammation
of blood vessels |
| Vas
deferens |
a
thin tube that stores and transports sperm |
| Vasectomy |
a
usually permanent method of sterilization in which the tubes
carrying sperm from the testicles (the vas deferens) are cut
and tied off; as a result, the semen will no longer contain
sperm |
| Vasoconstriction |
narrowing
of blood vessels |
| Vasodilation |
widening
of blood vessels |
| Vasovagal
attack |
a
sudden slowing of the heart, causing fainting |
| VD |
see
Venereal disease |
| Vein |
a
blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart |
| Venereal
disease |
any
disease that is usually spread through sexual intercourse
or genital contact |
| Venipuncture |
piercing
of a vein with a hollow needle to inject fluid or withdraw
blood |
| Venography |
an
X-ray procedure for viewing veins |
| Venom |
a
poisonous substance produced by certain animals |
| Ventilation |
the
process through which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged
between the lungs and the air; also refers to the use of a
machine to carry out this process in someone who cannot breathe
on his or her own |
| Ventilator |
a
machine used to take over breathing when a person cannot breathe
on his or her own |
| Ventricle |
a
small cavity or chamber; there are four ventricles in the
brain that circulate cerebrospinal fluid through it, and two
in the heart that pump blood throughout the body |
| Ventricular
fibrillation |
rapid,
irregular contractions of the heart |
| Ventricular
septal defect |
a
hole in the wall that separates the two lower chambers of
the heart (called the ventricles) |
| Vernix |
the
thick, greasy substance that covers the skin of a newborn
baby |
| Version |
a
shift in the position of the fetus inside of the uterus, either
occurring naturally or as performed by a doctor to facilitate
delivery |
| Vertebra |
any
one of the 33 bones that make up the spine |
| Vertebral
arteries |
a
pair of arteries running up the neck to supply the brain with
blood |
| Vertebrobasilar
insufficiency |
episodes
of dizziness and weakness caused by insufficient blood flow
to the brain |
| Vertex
presentation |
the
usual, head-first presentation of the fetus during delivery |
| Vertigo |
the
feeling that one or one's surroundings are spinning |
| Very
low-density lipoprotein |
a
class of blood proteins, a high level of which is associated
with coronary heart disease |
| Vesicle |
a
small skin blister, or any sac in the body, that contains
fluid |
| Vestibular
glands |
two
small glands located at the opening of the vagina that secrete
a lubricating fluid during sexual stimulation |
| Villi |
the
millions of fingerlike projections on the lining of the small
intestine that aid in the absorption of food |
| Viral |
a
term describing something related to or caused by a virus |
| Viremia |
the
presence of viruses in the blood |
| Virilization |
the
process by which a woman develops male characteristics; caused
by overproduction of male sex hormones |
| Virulence |
the
relative ability of an organism to cause disease |
| Virus |
the
smallest known disease-causing microorganism; viruses are
very simple in structure and can only multiply when they are
inside the cell of another organism |
| Visual
acuity |
a
measure of the sharpness of a person's vision |
| Visual
field |
the
area on both sides that can be seen while looking straight
ahead |
| Vital
sign |
any
sign, such as a pulse, that indicates that a person is alive |
| Vitamin
A |
a
vitamin essential for normal growth and development of the
body (most notably the bones and teeth), protection of mucous
membranes from infection, normal vision, and healthy skin
and hair |
| Vitamin
B complex |
a
group of vitamins including thiamine, niacin, riboflavin,
pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, and folic acid; plays
a variety of important roles in the body, including in hormone
production, metabolism, and functioning of the nerves, muscle,
heart, and digestive system |
| Vitamin
B6 |
a
vitamin that plays an important role in the breakdown and
use of energy sources, production of red blood cells and antibodies,
and normal functioning of the nervous system |
| Vitamin
B12 |
a
vitamin that is essential to the production of DNA (the genetic
material in cells) and red blood cells and in the functioning
of the nervous system |
| Vitamin
C |
a
vitamin with many essential roles, including in maintaining
healthy bones, teeth, gums, ligaments, and blood vessels and
in the immune system's response to infection |
| Vitamin
D |
a
vitamin that plays a role in the absorption of calcium by
the intestines and is essential for healthy bones and teeth |
| Vitamin
E |
a
vitamin that protects tissues from damage by oxygen free radicals,
helps to form red blood cells, maintains the function of enzymes,
and maintains cell structure |
| Vitamin
K |
a
vitamin that is essential for normal blood clotting and the
body's absorption of calcium |
| Vitamins |
complex
substances that are necessary in small amounts to maintain
health and ensure proper development and functioning of the
body |
| Vitiligo |
a
condition in which patches of skin on the body lose their
color; thought to be caused by the immune system attacking
the skin tissues, causing the absence of melanin |
| Vitreous
humor |
the
clear, watery fluid that fills the cavity of the eye behind
the lens |
| VLDL |
see
Very low-density lipoprotein |
| Vocal
cords |
two
strips of tissue in the voice box that have the ability to
produce sound when air passing through them causes the tissues
to vibrate |
| Volvulus |
twisting
and obstruction of an area of intestine |
| Von
Willebrand's disease |
a
genetic disorder characterized by excessive bleeding |
| V/Q
lung scans |
images
produced by radionuclide scanning of the lungs; used to help
diagnose a pulmonary embolism |
| Vulva |
the
outer, visible portion of the female genitals |
| Vulvitis |
inflammation
of the vulva |
| Vulvovaginitis |
inflammation
of the vulva and vagina |
