General Coding Terminology

Abscess

A localized collection of pus in any part of the body.

Absorption

The process of nutrients passing from the intestine into the blood stream,

Action tremor

A type of tremor that occurs during voluntary movements, Such as lifting a cup to one’s mouth.

Acute

Severe, for a short time.

Adjuvant

A substance that is used in a vaccine to improve the immune response so that less vaccine is needed to produce a non-specific stimulator of the immune response.

Analgesia

Absence of pain in response to stimulation that would normally be painful.

Anemia

A condition in which a deficiency in the size or number of erythrocytes (red blood cells) or the amount of hemoglobin they contain limits the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood and the tissue cells. Most anemias are caused by a lack of nutrients required for normal erythrocyte synthesis, principally iron, vitamin B-12, and folic acid. Others result from a variety of conditions, such as hemorrhage, genetic abnormalities, chronic disease states or drug toxicity,

Anesthesia

The absence of sensation, either in a region of skin, a region of the body, or as a total loss of consciousness. “Local” anesthesia affects (numbs) a specific area of the body and “general” anesthesia results in unconscious (anesthesiologist induces sleep, and maintains unconsciousness to avoid sensation.

Anesthetic

An agent or agents that produce regional anesthesia (certain part of the body) or general anesthesia (loss of consciousness).

Aneurysm

Dilation of an artery, formed by a circumscribed enlargement of its wall. Saccular (berry) aneurysm- sac-like bulging on one side of an artery usually arising at an arterial branching.

Angina
Pain or discomfort, pressure or squeezing, usually centered in the chest that results from diseased blood vessels restricting blood and oxygen flow to the heart. Tightness or heaviness in the arms, neck or jaw, shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, weakness or palpitations may be present. This is usually due to a cholesterol clogged artery to the heart.

Angiogram

A11 X-ray film of the heart or blood vessels after injecting a dye within the heart or blood vessels. This enables visualization of the cardiovascular structures. ,

Angiography

An X-ray that makes use of contrast dye injected into the coronary arteries to study blood circulation through the vessels. The test allows physicians to measure the degrees of obstruction to blood flow. Circulation through an artery is not considered seriously reduced until the inside diameter of the vessel is more than 50 to 70% obstructed.

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