Dictionary

hospice A program or facility that provides special care for people who are near the end of life and for their families. Hospice care can be provided at home, in a hospice or other freestanding facility, or within a hospital.

horripilation See goose bumps.

hornet sting A sting from a hornet, which can trigger an allergic reaction of varying severity. Avoidance and prompt treatment are essential. For those with severe reactions, injectable epinephrine should always be kept on hand. In selected cases, allergy injection therapy is highly effective.

Horner syndrome A condition resulting from interruption of the sympathetic nerve pathways to the eye, resulting in the drooping of the upper eyelid on one same side (ptosis), the constriction of the pupil of that eye (miosis), and with the lack of sweating (anhidosis) and flushing of the affected side of the face. Also known…

Horner ptosis See Horner syndrome.

hormone therapy Treatment of disease or symptoms with synthetic or naturally derived hormones. The term is most commonly used to describe use of medications containing both estrogen and progestogen to reduce or stop short-term changes associated with the perimenopause. In the more general sense, hormone therapy may be used to treat some forms of cancer,…

hormone replacement therapy The use of medications containing both estrogen and progestogen to reduce or stop short-term changes associated with the perimenopause, such as hot flashes, disturbed sleep, and vaginal dryness. Abbreviated HRT. Many physicians now use the term hormone therapy, abbreviated HT, rather than HRT. HRT can ease the symptoms of menopause and protect…

hormone, thyrotropin See thyroid-stimulating hormone.

hormone, thyroid-stimulating See thyroidstimulating hormone.

hormone, thyroid A chemical substance that is made by the thyroid gland, which is located in the front of the neck. The two most important thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroid hormones are critical for regulation of the body’s metabolism. See also thyroxine; triiodothyronine.

hormone, mineralocorticoid A group of hormones, the most important of which is aldosterone, that regulates the balance of water and electrolytes (ions such as sodium and potassium) in the body. The mineralocorticoid hormones act specifically on the tubules of the kidney. See also corticosteroid.

hormone, follicle-stimulating See folliclestimulating hormone.