Health vocabulary
Name health metrics. 52 hand-written terms with real workplace examples.
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Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
Irregular, often rapid heart rhythm where the upper chambers beat out of sync with the lower chambers.
AFib burden
The percentage of time a person spends in atrial fibrillation over a monitoring window.
ECG (electrocardiogram)
A recording of the heart's electrical activity, often from a single-lead watch sensor or clinical leads.
Sinus rhythm
A normal heart rhythm pattern where electrical signals follow the expected pathway.
Heart rate variability (HRV)
Variation in time between heartbeats; SDNN is a common summary metric in consumer apps.
Resting heart rate
Heartbeats per minute while at rest; apps estimate it from passive measurements.
VO2 max
An estimate of the maximum oxygen your body can use during intense exercise.
Blood pressure
The force of blood against artery walls, expressed as systolic over diastolic millimeters of mercury.
Hypertension
Persistently elevated blood pressure; diagnosis requires repeated measurements over time.
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) score
A CT-based score estimating calcium in coronary arteries; higher scores can mean more plaque.
Cardiorespiratory fitness
How well heart, lungs, and muscles deliver oxygen during activity; often discussed alongside VO2 max.
Irregular rhythm notification
A consumer wellness alert when a wearable detects a possible irregular heartbeat pattern.
State of mind
Apple's framework for logging mood and emotion snapshots in the Health app.
PHQ-9
A nine-item questionnaire screening for depression symptoms over the past two weeks.
GAD-7
A seven-item questionnaire screening for generalized anxiety symptoms.
Mindful session
Recorded time spent in meditation, breathing, or mindfulness practice.
Depression screening
A structured check for depression symptoms; results flag follow-up, not a diagnosis.
Anxiety screening
A structured check for anxiety symptoms using validated tools like GAD-7.
Mood versus emotion
Mood is a longer-lasting feeling; emotion is a shorter, momentary response.
Valence
How pleasant or unpleasant an experience feels, often scaled from negative to positive.
Cognitive screening
Brief tests like MoCA or MMSE that clinicians use to assess memory and thinking skills.
Mind and heart connection
The bidirectional link between mental health stressors and cardiovascular risk factors.
Sleep stages
Segments of sleep such as REM, Core, Deep, and Awake tracked by wearables.
Sleep duration
Total time spent asleep in a sleep period, usually aggregated nightly.
REM sleep
Rapid eye movement sleep associated with vivid dreams and memory processing.
Deep sleep
Slow-wave sleep thought to support physical recovery and memory consolidation.
Breathing disturbances
Interruptions in breathing during sleep flagged by supported Apple devices.
Sleep apnea
Repeated breathing pauses during sleep; diagnosis uses sleep studies, not watch alerts alone.
Time in bed versus time asleep
Time in bed includes lying awake; time asleep counts only actual sleep.
Sleep efficiency
The ratio of time asleep to time in bed, often expressed as a percentage.
Sex differences in heart disease
Heart disease presentation and risk factors can differ between women and men.
Preeclampsia
A pregnancy complication with high blood pressure and organ stress, linked to later CV risk.
Gestational hypertension
High blood pressure that develops during pregnancy without full preeclampsia criteria.
Gestational diabetes
Glucose intolerance first recognized during pregnancy, raising later diabetes and CV risk.
PCOS
Polycystic ovary syndrome, often involving metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors.
Menopause and cardiovascular risk
The menopause transition can shift lipids, blood pressure, and symptom patterns.
Atypical heart attack symptoms
Women may experience nausea, jaw pain, or fatigue rather than classic chest pressure.
SCAD
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection: a tear in a heart artery, more common in younger women.
Microvascular disease
Small-vessel coronary dysfunction that can cause angina with non-obstructive arteries on imaging.
Autoimmune disease and heart risk
Conditions like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can increase cardiovascular inflammation and risk.
ACE inhibitor / ARB
Lowers blood pressure and eases the heart's workload so heart failure does not get worse.
Beta-blocker (for HF)
Slows the heart rate and protects it from harmful stress hormones so it can pump more efficiently.
SGLT2 inhibitor (for HF)
Helps the kidneys clear sugar and salt, eases the heart, and helps protect the kidneys.
Loop diuretic (water pill)
Helps the kidneys flush extra fluid from the lungs and legs so breathing can feel easier.
MDI (puffer)
A press-and-breathe inhaler that delivers a measured dose of lung medicine. Often used with a spacer.
Spacer
A tube that holds the inhaler puff so you do not need perfect timing. Use it every time with an MDI.
Rescue inhaler (SABA)
A fast-acting reliever used when breathing suddenly gets worse. Not for daily prevention.
Controller inhaler
A daily preventer that keeps airways open and calm over time. It works only if taken every day.
Inhaler critical error
A step so important that if you miss it, most of the dose never reaches the lungs.
Indication
The medical reason you are taking a medicine.
Side effect
An unwanted reaction that is not the reason you take the medicine.
Teach-back
You explain your medicine plan in your own words so your clinician can confirm you understood it.
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