Medical dictionary

What is a heart check-up?   A heart check-up (or heart screening) is used to detect any early heart abnormalities. The doctor will be able to determine if you are at risk of developing heart disease within the next five to 10 years. They will work with you to manage the risk of heart disease by encouraging lifestyle changes (including exercise and dietary adjustments), an

What are heavy periods? It can sometimes be difficult to know if you have particularly heavy periods because what is normal changes from person to person. However, the following signs would suggest your periods are heavy: You have to get up in the night to change your sanitary products. You need to use more than one sanitary product at once (e.g. both a pad and a tampon). You have to

What is menopausal hormone therapy? Menopausal hormone therapy, and more specifically hormone replacement therapy, involves taking medication to replace oestrogen lost during the menopause. Menopausal hormone therapy is one of many types of hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement can also be offered to: men experiencing a loss in testosterone as part of the “ma

What is the human papillomavirus (HPV)?   Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the term for a common group of viruses that can infect the skin and mucous membranes. There are more than 100 different types, most of them harmless, but some types are associated with an increased risk of cancer or cervical dysplasia (abnormal changes in the cells of the surface of the cervix). These are acqui

What is the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine? The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is a vaccine that protects against certain strains of this virus, which can cause cervical cancer in women and genital warts (both in men and women). In the UK the vaccine is given to girls from age 12. To enquire about the HPV vaccine, visit your GP or book an appointment with a specialist. W

  What is hyperhidrosis? Hyperhidrosis is a condition characterised by excessive sweating. Sweating, also referred to as perspiration, is a skin function that helps to maintain body temperature constant. However, uncontrolled, unpredictable, excessive sweating , i.e. hyperhidrosis, can adversely affect social and professional relationships. People with hyperhidrosis hav

What is hypertension? Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common chronic condition where your resting blood pressure is persistently higher than what is considered a normal reading of 120/80mmHg (millimetres of mercury). If your systolic pressure (the force of your blood against the artery walls when your heart beats) is persistently higher than 140mmHg and your diastolic pr

What is indigestion?Indigestion, also medically referred to as dyspepsia, is a pain in the upper abdomen that occurs particularly after eating. It is normally a sign of an underlying problem.   How common is indigestion? It’s a very common condition. Most people experience it during their lifetime, having mild and infrequent symptoms. It is particularly common during pregnancy,

What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) a medical term used to describe a group of diseases that cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. Our digestive tract is responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients and removing waste products from the body. If any part of the digestive tract gets inflamed, it can disrupt the normal flow of digesti