Intern Health Dictionary

Generally, that branch of medicine concerned with diseases that do not require surgery, specifically the study and treatment of internal organs and body systems; it encompasses many subspecialties.... internal medicine

The length of the AXON (of a nerve cell) that is covered with a MYELIN sheath. The nodes of Ranvier, which have no myelin sheath, separate the internodes. (See also NERVE.)... internode

See “benchmark”.... internal benchmark

See “validity”.... internal validity

A World Health Organisation classi?cation of all known diseases and syndromes. The diseases are divided according to system (respiratory, renal, cardiac, etc.) or type (accidents, malignant growth, etc.). Each of them is given a three-digit number to facilitate computerisation. This classi?cation allows mortality and morbidity rates to be compared nationally and regionally. A revised ICD is published every ten years; a similar classi?cation is being developed for impairments, disabilities and handicaps.... international classification of disease (icd)

Classification of health and health-related domains that describe body functions and structures, activities and participation. The domains are classified from body, individual and societal perspectives. Since an individual’s functioning and disability occurs in a context, this classification includes a list of environmental factors.... international classification of functioning, disability and health (icf) a

A classification of diseases, conditions and other reasons for attendance for primary care. This classification is an adaptation of the ICD but makes allowance for the diagnostic uncertainty that prevails in primary care.... international classification of health problems in primary care (ichppc)

A systematic taxonomy of the consequences of injury and disease. See “disability”; “handicap”; “impairment”.... international classification of impairments, disabilities and handicaps (icidh)

The official classification of the World Organisation of Family Doctors. It includes three elements of the doctor-patient encounter: the reason for the encounter; the diagnosis; and the treatment or other action or intervention.... international classification of primary care (icpc)

A list of diagnoses and identifying codes used by medical practitioners and other health care providers. The coding and terminology provide a uniform language that permits consistent communication on claim forms. Data from earlier time periods were coded using the appropriate revision of the ICD for that time period. Changes in classification of causes of death in successive revisions of the ICD may introduce discontinuities in cause of death statistics over time.... international statistical classification of diseases and related health problems, tenth revision (icd-10)

Access to medical information via the Internet is widespread in some populations, often serving more patients than doctors. In addition to the huge variety of information available, patients can share experiences via electronic discussion groups, or obtain e-mail advice on a fee-for-service basis. Some professional organisations and journals provide free access to information, and the Internet can be a useful resource for medical practitioners and researchers. Concerns have arisen about the growth in electronic medical information: some believe that patients who have unlimited access to information via the Internet will be less likely to tolerate health-care rationing or will demand treatments that may be inappropriate in their individual circumstances. Other criticisms relate to the quality and accuracy of the information provided, potential breaches of patient CONFIDENTIALITY, and the risk of increased accusations of medical negligence (see also ETHICS).... internet

See “physician”.... internist

see INR.... international normalized ratio

(IPSS) a self-administered questionnaire, completed by men with *lower urinary tract symptoms, which consists of seven questions based on the extent of symptoms and a single quality-of-life question. It gives a numerical score, on a scale of 0 to 35, to indicate the severity of the patient’s symptoms. A score of 0–7 indicates mild symptoms, 8–19 moderate symptoms, and 20–35 severe symptoms. The quality-of-life question is scored from 0–6.... international prostate symptom score

n. a neuron in the central nervous system that acts as a link between the different neurons in a *reflex arc. It usually possesses numerous branching processes (dendrites) that make possible extensive and complex circuits and pathways within the brain and spinal cord.... interneuron

(INO) see ophthalmoplegia.... internuclear ophthalmoplegia

see radioembolization.... selective internal radiation therapy

see UICC.... union international contre le cancer

(ICD) a list of all known diseases and syndromes, including mental and behavioural disorders, published by the *World Health Organization every ten years (approximately). Over the years the classification has moved from being disease-orientated to include a wider framework of illness and other health problems. The version in current use, ICD-10, was published in 1992 and employs alphanumeric coding. It is used in many countries as the principal means of classifying both mortality and morbidity experience and allows comparison of morbidity and mortality rates nationally and internationally. The clinical utility of the ICD is a matter of some controversy, especially in the field of psychiatry. ICD-11 was published in June 2018 and is intended to come into use from 2022. It includes about 55,000 codes for injuries, diseases, and causes of death, which is three times more than its predecessor. It also differs substantially from ICD-10 as each disease entry includes descriptions and guidance as to what is covered by the term, rather than the term alone. For the first time it includes specific sections on sexual health and traditional medicine. A parallel list, the International Classification of Functioning, Disabilities and Health (ICF), has also been compiled and is being used alongside the ICD. See also handicap.

The standard international classification for statistical, administrative, and epidemiological purposes, as supplied by the World Health Organization

The WHO framework for measuring health and disability in individuals and populations... international classification of diseases