| A | B |
|---|
| chronic | present continuously or on and off over a long time |
| stroke | part of the brain is damaged because the blood supply is cut off |
| heart attack | blood supply to the heart slows or stops & the heart muscles are damaged |
| hypertension | high blood pressure |
| atherosclerosis | condition in which fatty substances build up on the inner lining of arteries |
| arteriosclerosis | hardening of the arteries |
| angioplasty | surgical procedure to clear a blockage of an artery; a balloon is used |
| cancer | second leading cause of death in the United States |
| tumor | a group of abnormal cells that forms a mass |
| benign | not cancerous |
| malignant | cancerous |
| carcinogen | substance in the environment that can cause cancer |
| radiation therapy | treatment for cancer that uses X-rays & other forms of radioactivity |
| chemotherapy | the use of chemicals to destroy cancer cells |
| allergy | an extreme sensitivity to a substance |
| allergen | the substances that cause an allergic reaction |
| pollen | a powdery substance released by certain plants |
| histamines | chemicals in the body that cause the symptoms of an allergic reaction |
| antihistamines | medication that relieves the symptoms of allergic reactions |
| asthma | a chronic respiratory disease that causes air passages to become blocked |
| bronchodilator | medication that relaxes the muscles around the bronchial air passages |
| arthritis | a disease of the joints |
| rheumatoid arthritis | arthritis characterized by pain, inflammation, swelling, & stiffness of joints |
| osteoarthritis | arthritis in elderly people causing the breakdown of cartilage in the joints |
| diabetes | a disease that prevents the body from converting food into energy |
| insulin | hormone that regulates the level of sugar in the blood |
| Alzheimer's disease | illness that attacks the brain & affects thinking, memory, & behavior |
