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Glossary
T
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Torsade de pointes (TdP) |
A potentially dangerous rapid heart beat; it can be a side effect of some drugs. |
| Total pathogen burden |
The total number of different bacteria and viruses infecting a person. |
| Toxemia |
A condition that can only occur in the last 3 months of pregnancy. Its symptoms include high blood pressure, headaches, and fluid buildup. Also known as pre-eclampsia. See also Eclampsia. |
| Trans fats |
A type of dietary fat that raises bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol. Trans fats are found in foods containing hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated vegetable oils such as cookies, crackers, other baked goods, commercially prepared fried foods, and some margarines. |
| Transcranial Doppler ultrasound |
A diagnostic test that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of blood flow in the arteries in the brain |
| Transdermal |
Through the skin. |
| transesophageal echocardiogram |
a type of echocardiogram that uses a probe that is passed down the throat (rather than one that is simply moved over the chest) to visualize the heart; this may be necessary to produce a clearer image in women who are obese or have large breasts or breast implants |
| Transferrin |
A protein that transfers iron from the gut to the parts of the body that need it. |
| Transient ischemic attack (TIA) |
A short-term reduction in blood flow to a part of the brain, causing stroke symptoms that go away in a short time Also known as a mini-stroke. |
| Transluminal extraction catheter |
A form of atherectomy involving a catheter with tiny, rotating blades to cut away the plaque and a vacuum tube to suck out the pieces of plaque. |
| Transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) |
A surgical procedure of last resort that may be performed in people with chronic chest pain who do not find relief with medication. A laser is used to make small channels in the heart muscle, helping to bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. See Percutaneous transmyocardial revascularization (PMR). |
| Transtelephonic monitoring |
Monitoring of a pacemaker done over the telephone. |
| treadmill test |
see "exercise stress test" and "exercise ankle-brachial index (ABI)" |
| Tricuspid regurgitation (insufficiency) |
Failure of the tricuspid valve to close properly, permitting blood to flow backwards into the right atrium. |
| Tricuspid stenosis |
A narrowing or stiffness of the tricuspid valve that generally only affects people who have had rheumatic fever. |
