Glossary

Health Terms beginning with "W"

Warfarin

An oral blood thinner or anticoagulant, also known as Coumadin.

Weight-bearing exercise

Activities such as walking, running and dancing that make bones work against gravity by putting weight on them; helps to strengthen bones, promote new bone growth and improve balance.

Western Blot

A laboratory test for specific antibodies to confirm repeatedly reactive results on the HIV ELISA or EIA test. In the United States, Western Blot is the validation test used most often for confirmation of these other tests.

Wet macular degeneration

An eye disease in which new, abnormal blood vessels grow in or under the retina, leak fluid and bleed, and damage the macula, destroying central vision.

Withdrawal

The physical and psychological symptoms that follow discontinuance of an addicting substance as well as certain drugs that are not addicting but which cause tolerance and physical dependence (e.g., certain antihypertensives).

Wu-wei

A Taoist principle that refers to "non-doing" or going with the flow. Wu-wei is used to describe behavior that arises from a sense of oneself as connected to others and to one's environment.