Dictionary

fiber, insoluble Fiber that cannot dissolve in water. Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, cabbage, peas and beans, and other foods. Both are important diet components for optimal health. See also fiber, soluble.

fiber, soluble Fiber that can at least partially be dissolved in water. Soluble fiber is found in oat bran, apples, citrus, pears, peas and beans, psyllium, and other foods. Both soluble and insoluble fiber are important diet components for optimal health. See also fiber, insoluble.

fibrates Cholesterol-lowering drugs that are effective in lowering triglycerides and, to a lesser extent, in increasing HDL cholesterol levels. Gemfibrozil (brand name: Lopid), the fibrate most widely used in the US, can be effective for patients with high triglyceride levels, but it is not very effective for lowering LDL cholesterol. As a result, it is…

fibril A small fiber, a fine thread.

fibrillation In cardiology, an abnormal and erratic twitching of the heart muscle.

fibrillation, atrial An abnormal and irregular heart rhythm in which electrical signals are generated chaotically throughout the upper chambers (atria) of the heart. Many people with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms. Among those who do, the most common symptom is an uncomfortable awareness of the rapid and irregular heartbeat (palpitations). Atrial fibrillation can promote the…

fibrillation, auricular See fibrillation, atrial.

fibrillation, ventricular An abnormal and irregular heart rhythm in which there are rapid uncoordinated fluttering contractions of the lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart. Ventricular fibrillation disrupts the synchrony between the heartbeat and the pulse beat. Ventricular fibrillation is commonly associated with heart attacks and scarring of the heart muscle from previous heart attacks. Ventricular…

fibrin The protein that is formed during normal blood clotting and that is the essence of the clot.

fibrinogen The protein from which fibrin is formed in normal blood clotting.

fibroadenoma The most common benign tumor of the breast and the most common breast tumor in women under 30 years of age. Fibroadenomas are usually solitary and may increase in size during pregnancy. The most common signs of fibroadenoma are a painless, rubbery or firm, moveable mass of the breast. The diagnosis of fibroadenoma is…

fibroblast A type of cell found in connective tissue throughout the body that produces collagen and other proteins found in the extracellular (between cells) spaces.