| Term |
Synonyms |
Definition |
| Kakorraphiaphobia |
|
A fear of failure. |
| Kaposi's sarcoma |
|
A rare form of blood vessel cancer that appears on the skin and mucous membranes. |
| Katagelophobia |
|
The fear of ridicule. |
| Kawasaki disease |
|
A childhood disease causing fever, rash, skin peeling, swollen lymph nodes, and possibly complications of the heart and brain. |
| Kegel exercises |
|
Exercises done to strengthen the muscles that control urinary continence in females. |
| Keloid |
|
Abnormal accumulation of scar tissue after surgery or injury. |
| Keratin |
|
Protein found in hair, nails, and the outer layers of skin. |
| Keratitis |
|
Inflammation of the cornea. |
| Keratoacanthoma |
|
A rapidly-growing, locally-invasive tumor of the skin which usually resolves spontaneously if not removed for diagnostic or cosmetic purposes. |
| Keratolytic |
|
A substance that remove the keratin-containing outer layer of skin; used to treat skin disorders such as warts and dandruff. |
| Keratoplasty |
|
The surgical replacement or reshaping of the cornea. |
| Keratosis |
|
A growth on the skin that is the result of overproduction of the protein keratin. |
| Keraunophobia |
|
The fear of thunder. |
| Ketoacidosis |
|
A disturbance of body chemistry seen in starvation or as a complication of insulin-dependent diabetes. |
| Ketone |
|
An acidic substance produced when the body must use fat for energy. |
| Ketone bodies |
|
A break-down product of fat that accumulates in the blood as a result of inadequate insulin or inadequate calorie intake. Ketone bodies can poison and even kill body cells. When the body does not have the help of insulin, the ketones build up in the blood and then "spill" over into the urine so that the body can get rid of them. The body can also rid itself of one type of ketone, called acetone, through the lungs. This gives the breath a fruity odor. Ketones that build up in the body for a long time lead to serious illness and coma. |
| Ketonuria |
|
Having ketone bodies in the urine; a warning sign of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). |
| Ketosis |
|
A condition of having ketone bodies build up in body tissues and fluids. The signs of ketosis are nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Ketosis can lead to ketoacidosis. |
| Kidney disease |
Nephropathy |
Any one of several chronic conditions that are caused by damage to the cells of the kidney. People who have had diabetes for a long time may have kidney damage. |
| Kidney stones |
|
Small, solid stones made from calcium, cysteine, cholesterol and other chemicals circulating in the bloodstream. They are produced in the kidneys. |
| Kidney threshold |
|
The point at which the blood is holding too much of a substance such as glucose (sugar) and the kidneys "spill" the excess sugar into the urine. |
| Kidneys |
|
The two bean-shaped organs located in the back portion of the upper abdomen that are responsible for excreting urine and regulating the water and chemical contents of the blood. |
| Killer T cells |
|
White blood cells that are part of the immune system and destroy microorganisms and cancer cells. |
| Kilocalorie |
Kcal |
A unit of energy; equal to a nutritional calorie. |
| Kilogram |
Kg |
A metric unit of weight; 1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds. |
| Kimmelstiel-Wilson syndrome |
|
A kidney disorder that can occur as a complication of diabetes mellitus; can cause swelling, high blood pressure, and kidney failure. |
| Klinefelter’s syndrome |
|
A genetic disorder in which a man has at least 1 extra X chromosome in his cells, causing infertility and female characteristics. |
| Knee-jerk reflex |
|
A test for a reflexive extension of the leg to check the functioning of the nervous system; tapping the knee just below the kneecap should cause the lower part of the leg to jerk upward. |
| Korotkoff sounds |
|
Sounds that are heard when a blood pressure is taken. |
| Krukenberg tumor |
|
A tumor of the ovary caused by the spread of stomach cancer. |
| Kussmaul Breathing |
Air hunger. |
The rapid, deep, and labored breathing of people who have ketoacidosis or who are in a diabetic coma. Kussmaul breathing is named for Adolph Kussmaul, the 19th century German doctor who first noted it. |
| Kyphosis |
|
Excessive curvature of the upper spine, resulting in humpback, hunchback or rounding of the shoulders. |
