Tachycardia? Sarcoidosis? Get fluent in medical lingo

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Tachycardia? Sarcoidosis? Get fluent in medical lingo

A cheat sheet for understanding all that medical jargon on TV shows

The Free Lance-Star - Fredericksburg,VA*

Date published: 1/6/2008

BY JANET MARSHALL

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/012008/01062008/336332

Anyone who has watched an episode of " House " on TV has surely

wondered at some point, " What in the world is sarcoidosis? "

You can follow along without knowing, but wouldn't it be nice to

understand the lingo?

The National Institutes of Health defines a dictionary's worth of

medical conditions in plain English on its Web site. So here,

courtesy of NIH, is a cheat sheet to help you understand all that TV

jargon--and maybe your own doctor. Because while medical shows hinge

on mystery, the diseases and procedures they highlight aren't always

so rare.

Sarcoidosis: Dr. Foreman of " House " thinks lots of patients have

this. It's an inflammatory disease in which tiny lumps called

granulomas appear, usually in the lungs and lymph nodes. The

condition can also damage the eyes, skin, liver and heart. It can

get better on its own, stay the same or lead to organ failure and

death--making for a compelling TV diagnosis.

Amyloidosis: With this disease, protein fibers get deposited in

tissues and organs, leading to stiffness and damage. This is another

favorite of " House " and the gang. Patients sometimes have an

underlying problem such as an infection, and the condition is also

sometimes associated with kidney failure.

Tachycardia: It's a form of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, in

which the heart beats too rapidly. It isn't always dangerous, but

it's definitely worrisome, as tachycardia can lead to sudden death

or a stroke.

CBC: TV doctors are always ordering this, stat! It stands for

complete blood count. It's a set of tests that measure things like

how many white and red blood cells a person has. It's not to be

confused with the ever-popular chem-7--an " ER " favorite--which

measures things like blood sugar levels and kidney function.

Costochondritis: This is pain in the chest wall caused by

inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone.

It's sharp pain that can mimic the pain of a heart attack. But alas,

it's far less dramatic. The condition usually goes away on its own,

without any treatment except perhaps some pain relievers or anti-

inflammatory drugs.

Tularemia: This infection is common in wild rodents, but not in

people--unless, perhaps, they're TV actors. People don't generally

get tularemia unless they're bitten by ticks or mosquitos carrying

the disease. (In a " House " episode, doctors suspected a pet rabbit

had infected its owner.) It can be fatal, but it's highly treatable

with antibiotics.

Vasculitis: It's an inflammation of the blood vessels that happens

when the body's immune system attacks the vessels, often for reasons

that aren't clear. When a vessel gets inflamed, it's harder for

blood to pass through. A vessel can become entirely blocked, or can

burst and cause dangerous bleeding. Vasculitis can be an aggravating

nuisance, or a lethal condition.

Hypoxic: A person is hypoxic when they're suffering from a shortage

of oxygen. High altitude can cause it; so can choking and smoke

inhalation. Sometimes it's caused by a restriction in the blood (and

thus oxygen) supply because of blocked blood vessels. Mild cases

make a person inattentive and uncoordinated. Severe cases can lead

to seizures, coma, brain damage and death.

Laparotomy: The is a surgical procedure to explore the abdominal

organs including the stomach, liver, uterus and kidneys. TV surgeons

seem to like this surgery, as it lets them fish around in the belly

and diagnose problems like cancer, diverticulitis and pancreatitis.

Ischemic bowel: Also known as " dead gut. " It's when part of the

intestine dies because blood is cut off. Possible causes include

hernias, scar tissue and blood clots. The classic symptom is

abdominal pain, and treatment almost always requires surgery. This

is a potentially fatal condition.

Generalized edema: This is a fancy way of saying " swelling. " It

refers to swelling caused by fluid in the body's tissues, and it's

common in the feet, ankles and legs. Eating too much salt can cause

it, but so can more troubling things like heart failure and liver

problems.

Janet Marshall: 540/374-5527

Email: jmarshall@...