A1C Result: Also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c test. It is a blood test that measures the patient's average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3 months. The results can give you and your doctor a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment plan is working.

Acute Care Hospitals: Hospitals that provide inpatient medical care services to surgical patients or those with acute medical conditions or injuries.

Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI): An AMI is the medical term for a heart attack, which is a medical emergency. An AMI occurs when the arteries leading to the heart become blocked and the blood supply is severely reduced or stopped. When the heart muscle can't get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, the part of the heart tissue that is affected may die.

Asthma: A chronic lung disorder that is marked by recurring episodes of airway obstruction. Its symptoms include difficult breathing and are often accompanied by wheezing and coughing and a sense of constriction in the chest.

Beta Blockers: This class of drugs is used to lower blood pressure, treat chest pain and heart failure, and help prevent a heart attack. Beta blockers slow the heart rate and reduce the force with which the heart muscles contract to pump blood. This helps relieve stress on the heart.

Blood Pressure: A measure of the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries. It is the result of two forces; the first is the force created by the heart as it pumps blood into the arteries and the circulatory system. The other is the force of the arteries as they resist the blood flow.

When you get your blood pressure measured you will get two numbers, the systolic and diastolic. Systolic arterial pressure is the peak pressure in the arteries and occurs at or near the beginning of the cardiac cycle. The diastolic arterial pressure is the lowest pressure and occurs at the resting phase of the cardiac cycle. A typical reading for a resting, healthy adult human is 120/80 -- 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic with large individual variations.

Hypertension - high blood pressure - has no symptoms. It is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and causes and can cause hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis and the development of heart failure.

Bundles: A series of interdependent steps to reduce or prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia and catheter-related bloodstream infections. Click here to learn more.

Catheter: A catheter is a flexible surgical instrument for withdrawing fluids from or introducing fluids into the body. Catheters allow both the drainage and injection of fluids or access by surgical instruments.

Cholesterol: A fat-like substance circulating in the blood. Some of our cholesterol comes from the foods we eat, but the bulk of it is actually made in the liver. Although, cholesterol is vital to our bodies, since it is used to form cell membranes and certain hormones, an excess of it in the bloodstream can have serious health consequences.

High cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis, in which the arteries become narrowed. Narrow arteries means that the blood cannot supply needed oxygen and other vital nutrients to the arteries of the brain or heart. This can lead to strokes and heart attacks. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that almost 20% of all strokes and over 50% of all heart attacks can be linked to high cholesterol.

There are two types of cholesterol: LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol.

• LDL, also called "bad cholesterol," can clog arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Most people should aim for a level of less than 100 mg/dL. However, people who already have heart disease may need to aim for under 70 mg/dL.
• HDL, "good cholesterol," attaches to bad cholesterol and brings it to the liver, where it's filtered out of the body. You should aim for 60 mg/dL or higher.

Collaborative: A group of people who work jointly in an intellectual endeavor. In scientific studies, it usually refers to several teams working together to do a study.

Colonoscopy: A medical procedure that uses a colonoscope to view the rectum and the entire inner lining of the colon (large intestine). The colonoscope is a long, flexible, lighted tubular instrument. The test is considered the gold standard in looking for colorectal cancer.

Diabetes: A condition where the body is not able to automatically regulate blood glucose levels. This resulting in too much glucose (a sugar) in the blood.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, people with diabetes are 2-4 times more likely to have heart disease than people who do not have diabetes. In addition, people with diabetes often have other risk factors for heart disease including obesity, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries.

Other complications of diabetes include damage to the blood vessels that feed the retina of the eye and damage to the kidneys that can result in kidney failure. People with diabetes are at risk for foot injuries due to numbness caused by nerve damage and low blood flow to the legs and feet. The loss of feeling leaves many people with diabetes not even knowing they have injured their feet. And since it is harder for the sores on the feet to heal because of the loss of circulation to the feet infections are common. These infections often can result in amputation of the toe, foot and even the whole leg.

Diagnostic Procedures: Tests given to see if a disease is present or not. Unlike screening procedures, the tests are done based on an individual's symptoms. For example, a woman with a lump in her breast will get a mammogram to determine whether it is cancerous.

Heart Attack: See Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI).

Heart Failure: Heart failure is a progressive disorder which causes damage to the heart which leads to weakening of the cardiovascular system. It can cause fluid congestion or inadequate blood flow to tissues.

ICU: Abbreviation for Intensive Care Unit. These hospital units are staffed and equipped to provide care to critically ill patients who need constant observation and care.

Influenza: Commonly known as the flu. It is an acute infectious respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses, which change from year to year (which is why people must get a flu vaccine each year). Influenza typically has a sudden onset and its symptoms include chills, fever, coughs, headache, muscle aches and a dry cough.

Incidence Rate: The number of newly diagnosed cases of a disease occurring in a specific population during a specific time period.

Long Term Care Facilities: Known by the public as nursing homes, these facilities provide a variety of services to people of all ages. The staff helps patients with health or personal needs such as walking, eating and going to the bathroom.

Pneumonia: An inflammation of the lung caused by infection with bacteria, viruses or other organisms. Pneumonia is often a complication of a pre-existing condition or infection and triggered when a patient's defense system is weakened. It is of special concern to the elderly.

Polyp: A projecting mass of overgrown tissue. Almost all cases of colorectal cancer develop from a polyp. That is why a colonoscopy is so important as it can detect polyps in their early stages and remove them before cancer can develop.

Post-Surgical Infections: Infections that develop after surgery. Studies have shown that using antibiotics, which are medicines that prevent the growth of bacteria, can greatly reduce the risk of infection.

Screening Procedures: Tests that are done to rule out or detect the presence of disease, when a patient has no obvious symptoms. Examples of screening procedures are mammograms, PAP smears, and colonoscopies.

Tobacco-related Disease: Illnesses caused by smoking, inhaling or chewing tobacco including lung cancer, emphysema and oral cancers.

Vaccination: The administration of killed, live or weakened forms of pathogens (such as bacteria or viruses) to produce immunity or lessen the effects of infection by a pathogen. Common vaccines include polio, measles, diphtheria, tetanus and the flu.

Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP): A pneumonia that is acquired in hospitals by patients on ventilators. VAP makes oxygen exchange difficult for patients. It is a particular risk for patients who are on mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours.