Category: H

This is a structured, multi-disciplinary process for assessing and improving the health consequences of projects and policies in the non-health sector. It combines a range of evidence in preparing conclusions. Applications of these include appraisal of national policies, local urban planning, and the progress of transport, water and agricultural projects.  

The centralized collection and storage of information about the health of individuals. Recent advances in genetics have raised concerns about the potential for abuse of all health databases, whether maintained for scientific research which has long used them or for government or community health planning, or by groups of professionals (or individuals) to help in…

As the needs and demands of patients, and the costs of health care of populations, have risen sharply in recent years, governments and healthcare providers whether tax-funded, insurance based, employer-provided or a mix of these face the dilemma of what services a country or a community can afford to provide. As a result, various techniques…

A group of viruses that infect mice, rats and voles and can also infect humans who come into contact with their excreta or secretions. Widely distributed in Asia, the USA and Europe, in Britain hantavirus usually affects rural and sewage workers, as well as people engaged in watersports. Many victims have a mild feverish illness;…

A very rare form of hepatitis following exposure to halothane during anaesthesia (1:35,000 halothane anaesthetics). Jaundice develops three to four days after exposure and will occasionally develop into a fatal massive hepatic necrosis. It is of unknown cause but probably has an immunological basis. It is more common following multiple exposures in a short time…

A group of drugs used to treat bleeding disorders such as haemophilia. Factor VIII is one of the clotting factors available for treatment, and preparations of it are injected after abnormal bleeding or before surgery. Vitamin K preparations are another haemostatic group used to treat an overdose of anticoagulant drugs.  

This is the basic cell from which all types of blood cells originate. Its appearance is believed to be similar to that of a lymphocyte.  

Abnormal haemoglobin formation occurs in these conditions, which are hereditary haemolytic anaemias. The haemoglobin may be abnormal because: (1) there is a defect in the synthesis of normal adult haemoglobin as in thalassaemia, when there may be an absence of one or both of the polypeptide chains that characterise normal adult haemoglobin; or (2) there…

A technique similar to haemodialysis. Blood is dialysed using ultrafiltration through a membrane permeable to water and small molecules (molecular weight <12,000). Physiological saline solution is simultaneously reinfused.    

Unusual sounds heard over the heart and large blood vessels in severe cases of anaemia. They disappear as the condition improves.