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A medical terms simplifier, providing definitions and explanations for various medical conditions, procedures, and related terms, arranged alphabetically from A to Z.
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An agency of the European Union
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
8 February 2022 EMA/329258/2022 Rev. 1^1
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
This compilation gives plain-language descriptions of medical terms commonly used in information about medicines. Communication specialists at EMA use these descriptions for materials prepared for the public.
In our documents, we often adjust the description wordings to fit the context so that the writing flows smoothly without distorting the meaning. Since the main purpose of these descriptions is to serve our own writing needs, some also include alternative or optional wording to use as needed; we use ‘<>’ for this purpose.
Our list concentrates on side effects and similar terms in summaries of product characteristics and public assessments of medicines but omits terms that are used only rarely. It does not include descriptions of most disease states or those that relate to specialties such as regulation, statistics and complementary medicine or, indeed, broader fields of medicine such as anatomy, microbiology, pathology and physiology.
This resource is continually reviewed and updated internally, and we will publish updates periodically.
If you have comments or suggestions, you may contact us by filling in this form.
(^1) This revision includes terms used in cancer clinical trials, a change to seizure-related entries to avoid the use of fit , as well as several new and revised terms.
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
acute <short-lived>
acute coronary syndrome
acute systemic hypersensitivity reaction
see hypersensitivity reaction, acute systemic
adipocytes fat cells
adjunct add-on
adjuvant (vaccines) a substance
administer / administration do not use; use simple verbs such as ‘give’ or ‘take’
advanced (cancer) consider^ has
aggregate stick together
agonist a substance that attaches to a receptor (target) and triggers an effect
agranulocytosis very low level of a type of white blood cell
akathisia a constant urge to move
alcohol intoxication do not use; explain in text e.g. excessive alcohol consumption
alkaloids substances that are naturally found in plants
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
allergen a substance that causes an allergy
allergen challenge a test to measure a patient’s reaction to a defined dose of an allergen (the substance that they are allergic to)
allergic rhinitis see rhinitis, allergic
allotransplantation when a patient receives cells, tissues or organs from a donor
alopecia substitute with hair loss
alveolitis, allergic see pneumonitis, hypersensitivity
ambulatory avoid term where possible or use able to walk
amnesia substitute with memory loss
anaemia
anaemia, aplastic when bone marrow stops producing new blood cells <causing tiredness, lower ability to fight infection and uncontrolled bleeding>
anaemia, haemolytic excessive breakdown of red blood cells
anaesthetic a medicine
anaesthetic block see nerve block
anaesthetic, general a medicine that can be used to prevent pain by making the patient unconscious
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
angiogenesis growth of new blood vessels
angiography X-rays of blood vessels
angioplasty a procedure to unblock a narrowed blood vessel
anorexia substitute with loss of appetite
anovulation when ovaries fail to produce eggs
antagonist a substance that blocks a receptor (target) and stops other substances attaching to it and triggering an effect
Antibiotics fight off bacteria. Typically, they interfere with processes that are important for the bacteria to survive or multiply. But bacteria can evolve to neutralise the effects of antibiotics. For example, they may develop enzymes that break down the antibiotic or they may develop a mechanism to keep the antibiotic from entering the bacteria. The antibiotic can therefore no longer fight off the bacteria and the bacteria are considered antibiotic resistant. The instructions for building the proteins (such as enzymes) that make bacteria antibiotic resistant are contained in their genes. Worryingly, these genes can be passed on to other types of bacteria, sometimes to bacteria of different species. This can cause antibiotic resistance to spread quickly even among unrelated species of bacteria.
antibody
a protein in the blood that helps the body's defences by identifying and attaching to specific foreign substances including germs
side effect a protein the body produces that attaches to the medicine
anticoagulant a substance that prevents the blood from clotting
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
antiemetic a substance that
antigen a specific structure that the body can recognise as 'foreign' and against which it can produce an antibody
antihistamine a
antihypertensive blood pressure lowering
antioxidant a substance that can prevent damage from highly reactive molecules called ‘free radicals’
antiplatelet medicines medicines that prevent platelets in the blood from clumping and blocking arteries
antipyretic a medicine for treating fever
antiretroviral use HIV medicine
anuria a condition in which a patient cannot make or pass urine
aortic stenosis see stenosis, aortic
apathy lack of interest or energy
aphasia problems with use of language <including speech, understanding and reading>
apheresis a procedure where blood is passed through an external device that removes
apnoea interruption of breathing;^ see also sleep apnoea and obstructive sleep apnoea
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
atelectasis collapse of the whole or part of a lung
atherosclerosis a disease in which fatty deposits build up in the walls of the arteries alternatively fatty deposits in arteries
atherothrombotic events problems caused by blood clots and hardening of the arteries
atonic seizure see seizure, atonic
atony lack of normal muscle
atopic linked to an allergy
atopic dermatitis see eczema, atopic
atrial fibrillation see fibrillation, atrial
atrial flutter see flutter, atrial
atrioventricular (AV) block a type of heart rhythm disorder
atrophy wasting away of body tissue or organ
atrophy, muscular muscle wasting
attenuated weakened
atypical absence seizure see seizure, atypical absence
aura unusual visual or other sensory experiences
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
autograft healthy
autoimmune disease a disease caused by the body’s own defence system attacking normal tissue
An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune (defence) system treats healthy parts of the body as if they were foreign and attacks them. Autoimmune disease can take many forms, depending on which body cells or tissues are targeted by the immune system. Well-known autoimmune diseases include:
Autologous
avascular necrosis death of bone tissue due to interruption of blood supply
B
B cells cells in the immune system
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
Bioequivalence testing tells us if medicines that contain the same active substance behave in the same way in the body. Bioequivalence means that the active ingredient in different medicines is absorbed into the body at the same speed and to the same extent. Testing for bioequivalence typically involves giving volunteers a medicine and then measuring the amount of the active ingredient in their blood regularly (say, every 2 hours) until very little of the ingredient remains in the blood. If the pattern of rise and fall of the active ingredient in the blood is identical then the medicines are bioequivalent. Three measures are important for confirming bioequivalence:
bioequivalent
two medicines are bioequivalent when they produce the same levels of the active substance in the body.
if greater precision is needed, consider medicines with the same active substance are bioequivalent if the active substances from both medicines are absorbed in the body at the same rate and to the same extent.
biological medicine a medicine made by cells
biopsy examination of tissue removed from the body
biowaiver an exemption from having to show bioequivalence between the medicineand its reference product
blepharitis inflammation of the eyelid(s)
blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure when the heart is between beats < (lower one of the tworeadings)>
blood pressure, systolic blood pressure when the heart beats < (higher one of the two readings)>
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
blood urea nitrogen (BUN) a marker for liver and kidney problems
body surface area use calculated using the <patient / child>'s height and weight
bolus injection full dose injected in one go
bone (mineral) density a measure of how strong the bones are
bone marrow spongy tissue inside the large bones
bone marrow transplantation
see also haematopoietic (blood) stem cell transplantation. a procedure where the patient’s bone marrow is cleared of cells and replaced with healthy bone marrow cells from a donor
bradycardia slow heart rate
breakthrough pain flare-up of pain despite ongoing treatment with painkillers
bronchi airways in the lungs
bronchiectasis when airways have become weakened and scarred
bronchitis inflammation of the airways in the lungs
bronchoconstriction narrowing of the airways
bronchodilator a medicine that widens the airways in the lungs
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
progression (disease) getting worse
progression-free survival how long patients live without their disease getting worse
relapse-free survival how long patients live without their disease coming back
response rate do not use; write percentage of patients who improve
survival rate, overall percentage of patients who live for a specific period
survival, overall how long patients live
time to (disease) progression
do not use. Explain as: the time until the disease started worsening
time to treatment failure
do not use. Explain as: the time until the treatment stopped working
cachexia muscle wasting with significant weight loss
calcitonin a hormone
candidiasis thrush, a fungal infection
cannula a thin tube inserted into
cannula, indwelling intravenous a thin tube permanently inserted into a vein
capillary leak syndrome
leakage of fluid from blood vessels causing tissue swelling and a drop in blood pressure
capsid shell (of a virus)
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
carcinoid syndrome symptoms caused by
carcinoid tumour a tumour of the endocrine system that produces hormones
carcinoma a type of cancer
cardiac heart
cardiac arrest heart stops beating
cardiac arrhythmia see arrhythmia
cardiomyopathy damage to the heart muscle
cardiotoxicity harm to the heart
cardiovascular affecting the heart and blood circulation
cardiovascular system heart and blood vessels
cardioversion a process that restores the heart's normal rhythm
cartilage tough, flexible tissue in joints and other areas such as the nose and ears
castration surgical or chemical prevention of the effects of male hormones
catalyse help
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
cervical dystonia twisting and pulling of the neck and head caused by abnormal tightening of neck muscles
cervix the neck of the womb
CHD see coronary heart disease
chelate do not translate but explain in text, e.g.^ 'attaches to another chemical to form a 'chelate' that can be removed from the body in the stools'
cholestasis reduced flow of bile from the liver
cholestatic hepatitis see hepatitis, cholestatic
choroid the layer below the retina that contains blood vessels
chromatopsia changes in colour perception
chromosomal translocation
when parts of genes are rearranged between two chromosomes
chromosome genetic material
chronic long term
chronic renal failure see renal failure, chronic
chronic stable angina pectoris
see angina pectoris
circumoral do not use; substitute with around the mouth
EMA Medical Terms Simplifier
cirrhosis, biliary liver damage caused by build-up of bile
coagulation clotting
coagulopathy problems with blood clotting
cognitive ability to think, learn and remember
colitis inflammation in the large bowel
colloidal solid particles evenly spread in a liquid
colon lower part of the gut
colonoscopy a procedure to examine the large bowel though a tube with a camera
colorectal cancer a cancer that starts in the large bowel and involves the rectum (the lowest part of the gut)
community-acquired infection
infection has been caught outside of hospital
compensated liver disease
see liver disease, compensated
compliance the ability of patients to stick to their treatment;^ avoid term, explain what is meant
complicated flu see flu, complicated