Effervescent tablet
A tablet that dissolves in water with fizzing. It is often absorbed faster but usually contains sodium, which matters in high blood pressure.
See also: Dosage form
Egophony
A nasal, bleating quality of the voice heard when listening to the lungs, for example when the patient says “ee” and it sounds like “ay”. It occurs over consolidated lung tissue or at the upper border of a pleural effusion.
See also: Bronchophony
Emotional incontinence (pseudobulbar affect)
Uncontrollable laughing or crying without a corresponding mood, often after stroke or in MS or ALS. Medicines can reduce the episodes.
See also: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Emotional lability
Rapidly changing, easily triggered mood swings with quick shifts between emotions. It occurs, for example, in borderline personality disorder, dementia or after brain injury.
See also: Emotional incontinence (pseudobulbar affect), Borderline personality disorder
Endurance training
Exercise that challenges the heart, circulation and metabolism, such as running, cycling or swimming; it increases VO2max.
Energy value (calorific value)
The amount of energy released when a nutrient is used in the body, given in kilojoules or kilocalories. Reference values are about 4 kcal per gram of carbohydrate or protein, 9 kcal per gram of fat and 7 kcal per gram of alcohol.
Epidermoid cyst (atheroma)
A benign skin cyst filled with keratin material that can become inflamed.
Epiploic appendages
Small fat-filled peritoneal appendages on the surface of the colon. If one twists or loses its blood supply, epiploic appendagitis develops with localised abdominal pain, which often settles without surgery.
See also: Large intestine
Equivalence trial
A clinical trial intended to show that two treatments do not differ, up or down, within predefined limits. It is used, for example, when comparing biosimilars with the original product.
See also: Biosimilar
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
A laboratory value (ESR) measuring how fast red blood cells settle in a tube. An increased rate is a non-specific sign of inflammation.
See also: C-reactive protein (CRP)
Ethmoid bulla
The largest anterior ethmoid air cell, appearing as a bulge in the middle nasal meatus. It is an important landmark in endoscopic sinus surgery.
Exercise-associated hyponatraemia
Dangerously low blood sodium during endurance events such as marathons, usually from drinking too much. Headache, nausea and confusion can progress to seizures; drinking according to thirst helps prevent it.
Exercise ECG
An ECG recorded during physical exertion on a bicycle or treadmill to detect impaired blood flow to the heart.
Exercise-induced asthma
Narrowing of the bronchi during or after physical exertion, especially in cold, dry air. Warming up and preventive inhaled medicines usually allow continued sport.
See also: Bronchial asthma
Exertional dyspnoea
Breathlessness that occurs only during physical exertion. It is a common sign of heart failure, lung disease or anaemia and is often graded with the NYHA classification.
See also: Dyspnoea
External carotid artery
The artery arising from the division of the common carotid artery that supplies the face, scalp, neck and meninges through numerous branches.
See also: Carotid artery
External cephalic version
An attempt to turn a baby in breech position into the head-down position by external manipulation from about week 36 of pregnancy. It succeeds in about half of cases and is performed under ultrasound and CTG monitoring with caesarean section on standby.
See also: Breech presentation
External iliac artery
The artery arising from the division of the common iliac artery that becomes the femoral artery below the inguinal ligament. Narrowing here causes exertional pain in the buttock or thigh.
See also: Internal iliac artery, Femoral artery
Extraocular muscles
Six muscles per eye that control eye movements and are supplied by three cranial nerves. Paralysis causes double vision.
See also: Diplopia
Eye care
A nursing measure to clean the eyes and keep them moist in people who cannot do this themselves, such as unconscious or ventilated patients. Incomplete eyelid closure requires additional corneal protection to prevent drying and ulcers.
Eye drops
Liquid medicines or care products for use in the eye, such as artificial tears for dry eyes or drug-containing drops for glaucoma.
Eye injury
Injury to the eye or its surroundings from foreign bodies, blows, chemicals or radiation. Chemical burns require immediate, thorough rinsing; all serious injuries need prompt assessment by an eye doctor.
See also: Globe rupture
Eye pain
Pain in or around the eye, for example from foreign bodies, corneal injuries, inflammation or migraine. Sudden severe pain with blurred vision and a red eye may indicate acute glaucoma.
See also: Acute angle-closure glaucoma
Eyeball
The roughly spherical organ of sight in the bony orbit, with three wall layers (sclera with cornea, choroid with iris, retina) and contents of lens, aqueous humour and vitreous.
Ejaculatory duct
Short duct formed by the vas deferens and seminal vesicle that passes through the prostate. Obstruction can cause reduced ejaculate volume and infertility.
Endolymphatic duct
Fine duct that connects the membranous inner ear to the endolymphatic sac and is involved in reabsorbing endolymph. Disorders are associated with Ménière’s disease.
Exchange transfusion
Procedure in which a newborn’s blood is gradually replaced with donor blood. It is used for very high bilirubin levels or severe blood group incompatibility when other measures are insufficient.
Exercise intolerance
Reduced ability to cope with physical or mental exertion without symptoms. It occurs in heart, lung and muscle diseases and in ME/CFS.
External capsule
Thin layer of fibres between the putamen and the claustrum. It is a typical site of brain haemorrhage in high blood pressure.
See also: Claustrum, Extreme capsule
Extreme capsule
Narrow layer of white matter between the claustrum and the insular cortex that carries fibre connections between brain lobes.
See also: Claustrum, External capsule