Glossary^585
CHAPTER 5
ADL:Activities of daily living.
Afferent:Nerve signals which travel from the peripheral nervous system to the cen-
tral nervous system.
Aphasia: Unable to speak, write and/or understand due to brain damage.
Arachnoid mater:The middle portion of the meninges that encloses the brain and
spinal cord.
Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP):Device used to provide oxygen to a
person who has sleep apnea.
Coninuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): Device used to provide oxygen to a
person who has sleep apnea.
Diabetes insipidus:A condition characterized by excessive thirst and increased urina-
tion.
Efferent:Nerve signals which travel from the central nervous system to the peripheral
nervous system.
Lumen:The hollow area of a tube.
NG:Nasal gastric.
Nystagmus:Rapid involuntary eye movement.
Petechial:Small purple spot caused by a hemorrhage.
Pia mater:The inner portion of the meninges that encloses the brain and spinal cord.
Postcal stage:The final stage of an epileptic seizure in which the patient gradually
recovers. Also known as ictal.
Stenosis:Abnormal narrowing of a passage.
Vagal:Related to the vagus nerve.
CHAPTER 6
C-Reactive Protein (CRP):Increases during the inflammatory process and is part of
an early defense system against infections.
Haversian canals:Tubes around the channels in the region of a bone called compact
bone.
Uricosuric agent:Medication that increases the excretion of uric acid.
CHAPTER 7
A & D Ointment:All purpose skin protection ointment.
ALT:Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase is an enzyme that is elevated in liver
disease.