|
A
B C
D E
F G
H I
J K
L M
N O
P Q
R S
T U
V W
X Y
Z
(1 to 10 of 465 matches)
H and H
H and H, sometimes written as "H&H", is a popular shorthand for hemoglobin and hematocrit, two very common and important blood tests.
Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein pigment in the blood, specifically in the red blood cells. In the test for hemoglobin (Hb), it is usually measured as total hemoglobin expressed as the amount of hemoglobin in grams (gm) per deciliter (dl) of whole blood, a deciliter being 100 milliliters.
The normal ranges for hemoglobin depend on the age and, beginning in adolescence, the sex of the person. The normal ranges are:
Newborns: 17-22 gm/dl
One (1) week of age: 15-20 gm/dl
One (1) month of age: 11-15gm/dl
Children: 11-13 gm/dl
Adult males: 14-18 gm/dl
Adult women: 12-16 gm/dl
Men after middle age: 12.4-14.9 gm/dl
Women after middle age: 11.7-13.8 gm/dl
All of these values may vary slightly between laboratories. Some laboratories do not differentiate between adult and "after middle age" hemoglobin values.
The hematocrit is the proportion, by volume, of the blood that consists of red blood cells. The hematocrit (hct) is expressed as a percentage. For example, an hematocrit of 25% means that there are 25 milliliters of red blood cells in 100 milliliters of blood: a quarter of the blood consists of red cells.
The normal ranges for hematocrit are dependant on age and, after adolescence, sex. The normal ranges are:
Newborns: 55-68%
One (1) week of age: 47-65%
One (1) month of age: 37-49%
Three (3) months of age: 30-36%
One (1) year of age: 29-41%
Ten (10) years of age: 36-40%
Adult males: 42-54%
Adult women: 38-46%
These values may vary slightly between laboratories.
H and P
In common doctor language, H stands for history and P for physical. So H and P = the history and physical, the medical history and the physical examination of the patient. The H and P are thus the initial clinical evaluation and examination of the patient.
A "focused" H and P means that the doctor focuses upon the patient's present problem. For example, if a patient is complaining of an ear ache, the doctor cones in on the ear (and does not waste time examining the patient's toenails).
H and P is medical slang.
H. flu
H. flu stands for Haemophilus influenzae, a group of bacteria.
Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) is particularly dangerous because it is capable of causing a range of diseases including ear infections, cellulitis (soft tissue infection), upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, and such serious "invasive" infections as meningitis with potential brain damage and epiglottitis with airway obstruction. More than 90% of all HIB infections occur in children 5 years of age or less; the peak attack rate is at 6-12 months of age.
The HIB vaccine is usually given at 2, 4 and 6 months of age and a final booster is given at 12-15 months of age. HIB vaccine rarely causes severe reactions. The HIB vaccine has almost eradicated the disease. Before the vaccine, some 20,000 cases of HIB invasive disease in preschool children were reported every year in the U.S. compared to less than 300 cases after the advent of the vaccine.
The vaccine is a "conjugate" vaccine. It joins ("conjugates") sugars from the HIB bacteria with a protein from another bacteria. The protein stimulates the baby's immature immune cells so they produce antibodies to the HIB sugars, protecting the child from HIB infection.
The prestigious Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research was given in 1996 to David H. Smith, Porter W. Anderson Jr., John B. Robbins and Rachel Schneerson for their work in developing a vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type B.
H. flu immunization
This immunization is designed to prevent disease due to Haemophilus influenzae (H. flu), specifically Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB).
The HIB bacteria is responsible for a range of serious "invasive" diseases including meningitis with potential brain damage and epiglottitis with airway obstruction. More than 90% of all HIB infections occur in children 5 years of age or less; the peak attack rate is at 6-12 months of age.
The HIB vaccine is usually given at 2, 4 and 6 months of age and a final booster is given at 12-15 months of age. HIB vaccine rarely causes severe reactions. The HIB vaccine has almost eradicated the disease. Before the vaccine, some 20,000 cases of HIB invasive disease in preschool children were reported every year in the U.S. compared to less than 300 cases after the advent of the vaccine.
The vaccine is a "conjugate" vaccine. It joins ("conjugates") sugars from the HIB bacteria with a protein from another bacteria. The protein stimulates the baby's immature immune cells so they produce antibodies to the HIB sugars, protecting the child from HIB infection.
The prestigious Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research was given in 1996 to David H. Smith, Porter W. Anderson Jr., John B. Robbins and Rachel Schneerson for their work in developing a vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type B.
H. heilmannii
Short for Helicobacter heilmannii, a bacteria that infects most cats, dogs and pigs and, in them, causes stomach inflammation (gastritis). H. heilmannii is not usually transmitted from animals to people. But people who have been infected by H. heilmannii are known to have developed gastric ulcers. Antibiotics can cure H. heilmannii infections.
Haemophilus influenzae type B
Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) is a bacteria capable of causing a range of diseases including ear infections, cellulitis (soft tissue infection), upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, and such serious "invasive" infections as meningitis with potential brain damage and epiglottitis with airway obstruction. More than 90% of all HIB infections occur in children 5 years of age or less; the peak attack rate is at 6-12 months of age.
The HIB vaccine is usually given at 2, 4 and 6 months of age and a final booster is given at 12-15 months of age. HIB vaccine rarely causes severe reactions. The HIB vaccine has almost eradicated the disease. Before the vaccine, some 20,000 cases of HIB invasive disease in preschool children were reported every year in the U.S. compared to less than 300 cases after the advent of the vaccine.
The vaccine is a "conjugate" vaccine. It joins ("conjugates") sugars from the HIB bacteria with a protein from another bacteria. The protein stimulates the baby's immature immune cells so they produce antibodies to the HIB sugars, protecting the child from HIB infection.
The prestigious Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research was given in 1996 to David H. Smith, Porter W. Anderson Jr., John B. Robbins and Rachel Schneerson for their work in developing a vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type B.
Haemophilus influenzae type B immunization
This immunization is designed to prevent diseases caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB), a bacteria responsible for a range of serious "invasive" diseases including meningitis with potential brain damage and epiglottitis with airway obstruction.
More than 90% of all HIB infections occur in children 5 years of age or less; the peak attack rate is at 6-12 months of age.
The HIB vaccine is usually given at 2, 4 and 6 months of age and a final booster is given at 12-15 months of age. HIB vaccine rarely causes severe reactions. The HIB vaccine has almost eradicated the disease. Before the vaccine, some 20,000 cases of HIB invasive disease in preschool children were reported every year in the U.S. compared to less than 300 cases after the advent of the vaccine.
The HIB vaccine is a "conjugate" vaccine. It joins ("conjugates") sugars from the HIB bacteria with a protein from another bacteria. The protein stimulates the baby's immature immune cells so they produce antibodies to the HIB sugars, protecting the child from HIB infection.
The prestigious Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research was given in 1996 to David H. Smith, Porter W. Anderson Jr., John B. Robbins and Rachel Schneerson for their work in developing a vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type B.
Hair follicle
A sac from which a hair grows
Hair, exclamation point
Exclamation point hair is a key diagnostic finding in a disorder called alopecia areata.
Alopecia areata is patchy baldness (alopecia means baldness and areata means occurring in patches) which typically begins with patchy hair loss on the scalp and sometimes progresses to complete baldness and even loss of body hair. The hair loss tends to be rather rapid and asymmetrical and is different than male pattern baldness.
Alopecia areata affects both males and females. It tends to occur most often in children and young adults but older individuals can also be affected.
The most common pattern of alopecia areata is one or more spots of hair loss on the scalp. There is also a form with more generalized thinning. When all of the scalp hair is lost, it is called alopecia totalis. Loss of all of the hairs on the body is called alopecia universalis.
The cause appears to involve an autoimmune mechanism. The body's own immune system attacks the hair follicles and disrupts normal hair formation. Biopsies of affected skin show lymphocytes (one of the body’s immune system cells) inside of hair follicles where lymphocytes normally are not present. What causes this is unknown.
Alopecia areata is sometimes associated with other conditions (allergic disorders, thyroid disease, vitiligo, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis). Some cases occur within family members and indicate a genetic basis.
The characteristic diagnostic finding of alopecia areata is the exclamation point hair. These can be found in areas of hair loss and are short broken off hairs that are narrower closer to the scalp and therefore mimic an exclamation point. In some cases a biopsy is necessary for diagnosis.
In about half of cases, the hair regrows within a year without any treatment. The longer the period of time of hair loss, the less chance that it will regrow and a variety of treatments can be tied. Steroid injections and cream to the scalp have been used for many years. Other drugs include minoxidil, irritants, and topical immunotherapy which may be used in different combinations.
A study reported in the journal Archives of Dermatology (Vol 134, 1998;1349-52) showed effectiveness of aromatherapy essential oils (cedarwood, lavender, thyme, and rosemary oils) in some patients. As with many disorders for which there is no clear cut beneficial treatment, a variety of remedies are promoted which in fact have no benefit.
Hair, lanugal
The downy hair on the body of the fetus and newborn baby.
The lanugal hair (or lanugo) is the first hair to be produced by the fetal hair follicles. It is very fine, soft and usually is unpigmented.
The lanugal hair is prenatal hair. It appears at about 5 months of gestation and begins to be shed at 7 and 8 months of gestation.
The postnatal hair that succeeds the lanugal hair is conventionally divided into vellus and terminal hair. The vellus resembles the lanugal hair in that it is short, soft and usually unpigmented. The terminal hair is longer, coarser and usually pigmented. There are intermediate types of hair. Any given follicle can change the type of hair it is making.
"Lanugo" is the Latin word for down, like the fine small hairs of plants.
|
