Glossary
The following terms are commonly used in the care and treatment of
older patients. Many are abbreviations; fuller descriptions are given in the
text of this programme, where appropriate.
ACE
inhibitors: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, used to treat
hypertension.
ACE:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme.
ADH:
Antidiuretic hormone. It reduces the volume of urine produced
AF:
Atrial fibrillation.
AV:
Atrioventricular.
BP:
Blood pressure.
CO:
Cardiac output.
CVA:
Cerebrovascular accident; stroke.
DVT:
Deep vein thrombosis.
ECG:
Electrocardiogram, a recording of the electrical activity of the heart on a
moving paper strip.
Expiratory
reserve volume (ERV): the difference between normal breathing out
and maximal breathing out
FEV1:
Forced Expiratory Volume in one second is the volume of air expelled in the
first second of a forced expiration starting from full inspiration. It is measured
in liters using a low-resistance spirometer.
Functional
Residual Capacity (FRC): ERV + RV
GFR:
Glomerular filtration rate, the rate at which glomeruli of the kidney filter
blood
IHD:
Ischemic heart disease.
INR:
International normalized ratio.
Inspiratory
capacity (IC): the maximum possible volume of a breath in (IRV +
VT)
Inspiratory
reserve volume (IRV): the difference
between normal breathing in and maximal breathing in
LV:
Left ventricular.
MI:
Myocardial infarction.
NSAIDs: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs such as ibuprofen.
Osmolality:
the osmotic concentration of a solution (osmoles per kg of solution).
PEFR
(PEF): Peak expiratory flow rate, the greatest flow that can be sustained
for 10 milliseconds on forced expiration starting from full inflation of the
lungs. It is measured in liters per minute using a Wright Peak Flow Meter or
Mini-Wright Meter.
Prostaglandins:
Chemicals found in the body which affect the muscles that constrict and dilate
blood vessels.
Residual
volume (RV): the volume of gas in the lungs at the end of maximal
expiration (i.e. the lung will always have at least this volume of gas).
Resting
breathing volume: (formerly called Tidal volume (TV)), air breathed
in and out normally
SAH:
Subarrachnoid hemorrhage.
SDH:
Subdural haematoma.
TIA:
Transient ischemic attack.
Total
lung capacity (TLC): the volume of gas in the lungs after maximal
inspiration (= RV + VC) (i.e. the maximum the lungs hold)
Vital
capacity (VC): the volume expired from full inflation to full expiration.