A:
Acute:   A disease/ or disease symptom (s), beginning abruptly with marked intensity, and then subsiding after a relatively short period.
Airways:     The Passageways that air moves through while traveling in and out of the lungs during breathing.
B:
Blind Study:     Clinical trials are usually blinded, which means that the patient does not know whether he or she is receiving the product being tested, or given the control/placebo. This ensures that the results of a study are not adversely influenced by a possible placebo effect.
Bleeding Time:    A process to see how long it takes a persons blood to clot.
Blood Pressure:    The tension in the main arteries that is created by the beating of the heart, and the resistance to flow elasticity of the bloodvessels.

C:
Chemical Compound:    A substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients.
Cannula:    A tube that is placed in the arm similar to that of a needle. However this can be left in, so blood samples can be taken regularly and easily.
Cardiac Monitor:    This monitors the activity of your heart.
Cognitive Testing:    This test is based on your reactions and memory; normally tests like these are done on specialized computer programs.
Chronic Illness:    A set of symptoms or disorders that has persisted for a long period of time. It is a continuing disease process with progressive deterioration.
Clinical Trials:     A medical product marketed anywhere in the world goes through lengthy testing, which is heavily regulated by the appropriate
authorities. Early in the process the product undergoes chemical and animal testing. Finally after years of study the product is given to humans in carefully monitored clinical trials. When the trials are complete, a license application is submitted to the appropriate authorities. The study is reviewed, and it is then determined if the product is suitable and safe for human consumption. The entire process typically takes 10 years, and about £150 million to fund.
Control :     A Control is material or preparation used in pre-clinical or clinical studies, for comparison purposes, with the study intervention or drug. Often the control is a placebo or an inert material.

D:
Diabetes:     A disorder of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism that is caused by a deficiency, or complete lack of insulin. (This is a hormone produced by the pancreas). It is due to lack of insulin secretions by the beta cells of the pancreas (this is called type one), or of defects of the insulin receptors (this is called type two). Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst, increased urination, fatigue, blurred vision, increased hunger, medication, diet, and exercise.
Dermatological:     The Dermis is the skin. Tests that are dermatological are carried out on the skin in the form of a lotion or cream.
Dosing:     This refers to the medication, and the “dose” you require.
Disease:     An impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body, or one of its parts, that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions. It is a response to environmental factors (such as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (such as worms bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism, (such as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors, sickness or illness.
Double Blinded:    Clinical trials are often double blinded so that both the patient and the investigator are unaware of whether the patient is receiving the drug, or a control, or a placebo. The intent of double blinding is to prevent investigator or patient bias from influencing a trials outcome.

E:
Efficacy:     A drug product is said to have efficacy, if it functions as it is purported to do in its labeling and advertising.
ECG:     ECG stands for, electrocardiograph. What this particular procedure does is take a recording of the hearts electrical activity. This is a step down from a heart monitor as it is easier to use while doing an activity e.g. running..

F:
FDA:     The Food and Drug Administration is the government agency responsible for ensuring that foods, drugs, and cosmetics are manufactured or marketed in the United States, and they are safe and effective. FDA was established by congress in 1906, but gained real power with the passage of the 1938 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic act, after a cough syrup injured and killed scores of children and caused a public outcry. FDA can be reached on the World Wide Web at www.fda.gov.
Fasting:     For some studies you are required to have not eaten for a few hours before receiving your medication.

G:
Gene:     Carries hereditary information.
Generic:     Generic drugs are those that are chemically identical to drugs, which have been licensed by FDA, but have since lost existing patent pending protection. Federal regulations allow for generic to be licensed using a much simpler process than other drugs, which results in lower costs
Glucose:    A simple sugar found in certain foods, especially fruits, and a major source of energy.
I:
Immune System:     An inborn collection of cells and proteins that work to protect against infection in the body.
Infection:    Disease-causing microorganisms that enter the body, multiply, and damage cells or release toxins.
Inflammation:     redness, pain and swelling in an injured or infected tissue, produced as a result of the body’s healing response.
Insomnia:     Chronic inability to sleep, or to remain asleep, throughout the night. It is one of the most common sleep disorders that occur in several different stages of sleep. Insomnia may be the result of anxiety, nervousness, and physical and mental tension. Other causes are psychiatric conditions such as depression, alcohol intake or abuse, irregular sleep schedule, exercise, or caffeine too close to bedtime, and also the sleeping environment. Treatment can include improving sleep habits, medication and therapy.
Insulin:    A hormone produced by the pancreas that promotes the transfer of sugar into the body cells for energy production.
Intestines:     The major part of the digestive system forming a long tube, divided into two main sections: the small and the large - extending to the anus.
Investigator:     Physicians involved in clinical trials are referred to as investigators, since they are investigating the safety of, and efficacy of new medical products.

M:
Metabolism:     A general term used for all the chemical processes that occur in the body.
Migraine:     A recurring headache related to dilation of the blood vessels outside of the skull, which may be the result of chemical changes that cause spasms of vessels inside the skull. Symptoms may include severe head pain, photophobia, nausea, vomiting, chills, sweating, irritability, and extreme fatigue. The disorder occurs more frequently in women than it does in men.

N:
Neutralize:     To make something ineffective.

P:
Posture:     Some trial houses will require you to assume certain positions before, after, or while receiving medication, or all of them.
Prone:     This position requires you to lay flat in a face down position.
Recumbent:    Laying flat in face upward positions.
Semi-Recumbent:    Sitting half way up position.
Parallel Study:     A parallel study is a type of clinical trial in which the patients are usually randomized to different study groups, and then checked at the same time. This design should be contracted with crossover studies, in which the patients are treated in sequence.
Placebo:     In controlled group clinical trials, patients are generally divided into two groups: those who receive the drug being tested, and those who don’t. Generally it means those who don’t receive the drug being tested, and those who are given a placebo, an innocuous substance, which is intended to negate the psychological effects that receiving or not receiving the drug may bring.
Placebo effect:    Patients sometimes respond to treatment when only a placebo is administered. This is known as the placebo effect.
Protein:     Molecules that are made up of amino acids. They are found in all living organisms and are essential in the diet for the growth and repair of tissue.
Protocol:     Protocols are rules that clinical trial houses follow Intramuscular: This means inside the muscle, it refers to when medication is applied into a muscle, usually in the form of injection.
Intravenous:     This means inside the vein, this refers to when medication is applied straight into the vein, in the form of an injection.

S:
Safety:     A drug product is considered safe if it does not pose risk to public health, when used in accordance with it’s labeling.
Study Arm:     A study arm is one of the groups in a clinical trial. Typically, study arms consist of the treatment arm, and the control arm.
Subject:     A subject is an individual who participates in a clinical trial. Usually these are diseased patients, except in phase 1 studies.
Subcutaneous:    Medication is applied just under the dermis or skin.

V:
Viral infection:     An infection involving a virus, the smallest disease causing organism. Viruses can be harmless (e.g. warts), or devastating (e.g. the aids virus).
Venepuncture:    The medical term for the taking of blood from the forearm
Vital signs:     These are your - heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and body temperature