Weight Loss Program Glossary

• Acute Urgent or severe situation or disease
• Adhesion The joining or sticking together of parts of an organ that are not normally joined together
• Anastamosis Surgical, traumatic, or pathological formation of an opening between two normally distinct spaces or organs
• Anemia Condition of low red blood cells in bloodstream
• Aortic Aneurism An abnormal blood-filled dilatation of the aortic artery resulting from disease of the vessel wall
• Asthma A chronic respiratory disease, often arising from allergies, that is characterized by sudden recurring attacks of labored breathing, chest constriction, and coughing
• B12 A vitamin involved in the metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates; normal blood
• Bariatric Coordinator Bariatric Program Manager, usually an RN who coordinates care and education for the bariatric patient
• Bariatrics The branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity
• Behavioral The actions or reactions of a person or animal in response to external or internal stimuli
• BMI Body Mass Index measured as the ratio height to weight (kilograms/meters2 )
• Bowel Referring to the small or large intestines
• BRFSS Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is the world’s largest, on-going telephone health survey system, tracking health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States yearly since 1989
• Calcium The calcium 2+ ion is involved in many physiologic processes
• Carbohydrate Any of various compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (as sugars, starches, and celluloses
• Cardiovascular Of, relating to, or involving the heart and the blood vessels
• CABG Coronary artery bypass graft. Performed to improve blood supply to the heart
• CHF Chronic Heart Failure
• Cholesterol A white crystalline substance, C27H45OH, found in animal tissues and various foods, that is normally synthesized by the liver and is important as a constituent of cell membranes and a precursor to steroid hormones. Its level in the bloodstream can influence the pathogenesis of certain conditions, such as the development of atherosclerotic plaque and coronary artery disease
• Chronic Long-term situation or disease
• Cirrhosis A chronic disease of the liver characterized by the replacement of normal tissue with fibrous tissue and the loss of functional liver cells
• Co-morbidity A condition that exists in relation to or in addition to another condition
• Compliance A term used to describe how well a patient's behavior follows medical advice
• Complication A process or event occurring during a disease that is not an essential part of the disease; it may result from the disease or from independent causes
• Constipation Acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual
• Consultation A visit with a medical professional to share knowledge and expectations
• Deficiency An insufficient level of a substance or circumstance
• Dehydration Referring to a dangerously low level of fluids in the body
• Diabetes Any of several metabolic disorders marked by excessive discharge of urine and persistent thirst, especially one of the two types of diabetes mellitus
• Diagnosis Process of identifying an issue, disease or event
• Diarrhea Loose or liquid bowel movement or stool
• Diet The usual food and drink of a person or animal
• Dilatation The condition of being stretched beyond normal dimensions especially as a result of overwork or disease or of abnormal relaxation
• Distal Referring to the distant or far end of a structure or from a structure
• Dumping syndrome Nausea, weakness, sweating, palpitation, syncope, often a sensation of warmth, and sometimes diarrhea, occurring after ingestion of food in patients who have undergone partial gastrectomy
• Duodenal Switch A surgical treatment for morbid obesity consisting of resection of the greater curvature of the stomach, leaving in place the pylorus and a little of the duodenum, which are anastomosed to the ileum. The rest of the duodenum and jejunum simply empty their secretions into the distal ileum through a new anastamosis
• Duodenum The beginning portion of the small intestine, starting at the lower end of the stomach and extending to the jejunum
• DVT Deep vein thrombosis: a blood clot in a major vein, usually in the legs and/or pelvis
• Dysfunction Not operating properly
• Emboli A mass, such as an air bubble, a detached blood clot, or a foreign body, that travels through the bloodstream and lodges so as to obstruct a blood vessel (plural of embolus)
• Endocrine Of or relating to endocrine glands or the hormones secreted by them
• Environmental Relating to influences or conditions present in a physical space
• Epidemic Widely prevalent
• Erosion Referring to a complication of gastric banding where the plastic band wears through the anatomy of the esophagus and/or gastric pouch
• Esophagus Tubular upper digestive section leading from the mouth to the stomach
• Excess Body Weight Amount of weight above the individual's ideal body weight
• Exercise Manual activity that develops or maintains physical fitness and overall health
• Fat Along with carbohydrates and proteins, one of the three nutrients used as energy sources by the body
• Fills Referring to adding or withdrawing (adjusting) fluid from the gastric band as is clinically indicated to modify food passage
• Gallbladder A small, pear-shaped muscular sac, located under the right lobe of the liver, in which bile secreted by the liver is stored until needed by the body for digestion
• Gallstones A gallstone is a solid crystal deposit that forms in the gallbladder. Gallstones can migrate to other parts of the digestive tract and cause severe pain with life-threatening complications
• Gastrectomy Surgical removal of all or part of the stomach
• Gastrointestinal Of or relating to the stomach and intestines
• Gastroplasty Surgical repair or modification of the stomach or lower esophagus
• Genitourinary Of or relating to the genital and urinary organs or their function
• GERD Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease
• Gout A disturbance of uric-acid metabolism occurring chiefly in males, characterized by painful inflammation of the joints, especially of the feet and hands. Can result in deformity
• Hyperlipidemia High cholesterol
• Hypertension High blood pressure
• Ileum The third and final section of the small intestine
• Incision A cut or a wound made by cutting with a sharp instrument
• Incisional hernia Protrusion of a portion of an organ or tissue through an abnormal opening cause by an incision
• Infection A disease caused by the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms
• Integumentary A natural outer covering or coat, such as the skin of an animal or the membrane enclosing an organ Intermittent Stopping and starting at intervals
• Iron A common metallic element essential for the synthesis of some blood elements
• JAMA Journal of the American Medical Association
• Jejunoileal Bypass Surgical modification of intestinal tract to bypass part or all of the upper part of the small intestine
• Jejunum The section of the small intestine between the duodenum and the ileum
• Laparoscopic A minimally-invasive surgical or diagnostic procedure that uses a flexible endoscope (laparoscope) to view and operate on structures in the abdomen
• Malabsorption Defective or inadequate absorption of nutrients from the intestinal tract
• Median In statistics, a value in an ordered set of values below and above which there is an equal number of values
• Metabolic The chemical processes occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life. In metabolism some substances are broken down to yield energy for vital processes while other substances, necessary for life, are synthesized
• Morbid Relating to conditions of illness or leading to illness
• Morbid Obesity More than 100 lbs greater than normal body weight or a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or above with significant associated health issues.
• Mortality Relating to death
• Multi-disciplinary Team A group of professionals from various specialties, educational or training backgrounds working together for a common goal
• Multi-factorial Caused by more than one influence
• Nausea An unpleasant sensation with a tendency to vomit
• Nurse Degreed medical professional licensed to provide care to patients
• Nurse Practitioner A healthcare provider with advanced medical degree licensed to provide care and prescribe some medications to patients
• Obesity Relating to weight greater than healthy weight
• Osteoarthritis Chronic degeneration of the cartilage of the joints
• Palpitation Rapid, forceful, throbbing, or fluttering heartbeat
• Pancreatitis Inflammation of the pancreas
• Pathogenic Referring to a substance or event leading to illness
• PCP Primary Care Provider (i.e. Family Physician, Internist, Obstetrician, etc.)
• PE Pulmonary Embolus: Blockage of an artery of the lung by foreign matter such as fat, tumor, tissue, or a clot originating from a vein
• Pharmacotherapy The practice of treating diseases with medication
• Phenomenon An occurrence, circumstance, or fact that is perceptible by the senses
• Physical Therapist Medical professional trained to treat and improve physical limitations
• Physiologic Relating to the biological functioning of an organism
• Postoperative The period after an operation
• Preoperative The period before an operation
• Prevalence The total number of cases of a disease in a given population at a specific time
• Protein Proteins are one of the 3 types of nutrients used as energy sources by the body. The other 2 being carbohydrates and fats
• Proximal Referring to the close or near end of a structure or to a structure
• Psychologist Medical professional, usually with doctoral degree (i.e. Ph.D.) specializing in education in behavioral topics and treatment of psychological-related issues
• Psychosocial Involving aspects of social and psychological behavior
• Pulmonary Of, relating to, or affecting the lungs
• Pylorus The passage at the lower end of the stomach that opens into the duodenum
• Reflux Flowing backwards
• Registered Dietitian Specialist in diet and nutrition
• Resection Removal of a portion or all of an organ or other structure
• Revision A re-operation to modify or correct a previous procedure
• Satiety Feeling of fullness or satisfaction during or after eating
• SBO Small Bowel Obstruction. An obstruction of the small intestine that prevents the free passage of material; sometimes caused by postoperative adhesions
• Self-pay A situation where an individual pays for a procedure versus relying on reimbursement from an insurance policy
• Sleep apnea A temporary suspension of breathing occurring repeatedly during sleep that often affects overweight people or those having an obstruction in the breathing tract, an abnormally small throat opening, or a neurological disorder
• Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgical procedure to remove approximately 85% of the stomach, leaving a tubular-shaped organ between the bottom of the esophagus and the pyloric junction. Most commonly performed as a weight-loss procedure.
• Slippage Referring to movement of the gastric band's position relative to the esophagus and stomach
• SRC Surgical Review Corporation. A division of the American Academy of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons
• Stenosis A narrowing of a normally open passage
• Support group Gathering of individuals with related questions, issues, needs. Usually led by a medical professional or other trained professional
• Sustained Weight Loss Long-term consistent weight loss
• Syncope Dizziness, near fainting episode
• Therapeutic Referring to treatment of an issue, disease or event
• Trend The general direction in which something tends to move
• Ulcer Damage to a surface such as the lining the stomach or duodenum, that is sometimes accompanied by formation of death of surrounding tissue
• Ultrasound The use of ultrasonic waves for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes
• Urinary Incontinence Inability to control urinary functions