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Health
— A state of optimal physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.
Heart Attack
— (also known as a myocardial infarction) is the death of heart muscle from the sudden blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot. Coronary arteries are blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood and oxygen. Blockage of a coronary artery deprives the heart muscle of blood and oxygen,causing injury to the heart muscle. Injury to the heart muscle causes chest pain and chest pressure sensation. If blood flow is not restored to the heart muscle within 20 to 40 minutes, irreversible death of the heart muscle will begin to occur. Muscle continues to die for six to eight hours at which time the heart attack usually is "complete." The dead heart muscle is eventually replaced by scar tissue.
Heart Failure
— Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart's function as a pump to deliver oxygen rich blood to the body is inadequate to meet the body's needs. Congestive heart failure can be caused by:
- diseases that weaken the heart muscle,
- diseases that cause stiffening of the heart muscles, or
- diseases that increase oxygen demand by the body tissue beyond the capability of the heart to deliver.
The heart has two atria (right atrium and left atrium) that make up the upper chambers of the heart, and two ventricles (left ventricle and right ventricle) that make up the lower chambers of the heart. The ventricles are muscular chambers that pump blood when the muscles contract (the contraction of the ventricle muscles is called systole).
High Blood Pressure
— High blood pressure (HBP) or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. High blood pressure does not mean excessive emotional tension, although emotional tension and stress can temporarily increase blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80; blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 is called "pre-hypertension", and a blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered high.
Hip Replacement
— Surgery in which the diseased ball and socket of the hip joint are completely removed and replaced with artificial materials. A metal ball with a stem (a prosthesis) is inserted into the femur (thigh bone) and an artificial plastic cup socket is placed in the acetabulum (a "cup-shaped" part of the pelvis.
The prosthesis may be fixed in the central core of the femur with methylmethacrylate cement. Alternatively, a "cementless" prosthesis is used which has microscopic pores that allow bony ingrowth from the normal femur into the prosthesis stem. The "cementless" hip lasts longer and is especially an option for younger patients.
The modern artificial hip was invented by the British orthopedic surgeon John Charnley. What Sir John did was to replace the uncomfortable, noisy stainless steel and screws in the then-available hip prostheses with polyethylene and dental cement. His device was first tested in 1972 and was found successful. Within a few years had been put in thousands of people with arthritis, permitting them to walk normally again.
HMO
— Health Maintenance Organization. A prepaid plan (not insurance) that offers a variety of health care services for a fixed monthly fee.
Homeostasis
— A state of physiological equilibrium produced by a balance of functions and of chemical composition within an organism.
Hypermobility
— Excess movement of an area of the spine.
Hypomobility
— Restricted movement of an area of the spine.
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