Glossary

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome): a disease that attacks and destroys the body's immune system, leaving the patient open to infections and other diseases and causing weight loss, central nervous system problems, and death. It is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus.

Anemia: abnormally low total volume of blood or low levels of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen and carbon dioxide, or red blood cells in the blood.

Arthropathy: joint disease.

Arthroscopy: a surgical procedure to examine the inside of a joint.

Asymptomatic: showing no outward signs of a condition.

Autosome: any of the non-sex chromosomes.

Bleeding Disorders: diseases in which the blood does not clot normally.

Carriers: people who have a disease-causing gene but do not have the disease because they have one normal gene.

Chromosomes: tightly coiled strings of DNA that contain genes and are located in cells.

Clotting Factors: blood proteins required for blood to clot normally, often called "factors."

Coagulation: blood clotting.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD): an extremely rare disease causing brain damage and death. It is not thought to be transmitted by blood or blood-derived products; however, this is an area of active research.

Cryopreciptate: a concentrated form of plasma that contains factor VIII.

Desmopressin Acetate: a drug used to treat mild hemophilia A and von Willebrand disease that doubles or triples factor VIII levels in the blood.

Fusion: a surgical procedure in which a joint is removed and the cut ends of the bones are held together with screws or clamps. Fusion relieves the pain of advanced joint disease and strengthens weak joints.

Gene: a section of DNA, the chemical code of the body, that controls production of a body protein.

Gene Therapy: a scientific method to replace disease-causing genes with normal ones.

Hemophilia: a bleeding disorder in which a clotting factor (usually factor VIII or IX) is missing or does not function normally. Most people with hemophilia are male.

Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC): a federally funded clinic where a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, and physical therapists work together to deliver comprehensive care to people with bleeding disorders.

Hepatitis: a disease caused by injury or infection of the liver.

Hereditary: passed from parent to child.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus): the virus causing AIDS.

Infusion: a bleeding disorders treatment in which clotting factor is put directly into a vein.

Joint Bleeds: bleeding into joints that can cause joint disease and is treated by infusion of clotting factor. Joint bleeds can occur even when the joint is not injured.

Orthopedic: having to do with the bones.

Plasma: the liquid part of blood.

Platelet: a component of the blood that is needed for clotting.

Prophylaxis: treatment to prevent bleeding episodes.

Recombinant Technologies: laboratory methods of producing human proteins that do not use blood or plasma.

Symptomatic: showing outward signs of a condition.

Target Joint: a joint where bleeds tend to occur.

Trauma: injury.

Viral Inactivation: methods that kill viruses in clotting factors.

von Willebrand Disease: a bleeding disorder in which von Willebrand factor, a protein that works with factor VIII, is missing or does not function normally. von Willebrand disease affects both females and males.

Confused? Contact the Foundation.