disease - chronic fatigue

Coronary Artery Disease

chorionic villus sampling (CVS) - If necessary this test is performed between 10 and 12 weeks of pregnancy and can indicate the same chromosomal abnormalities and genetic disorders as amniocentesis can. It also can detect the baby's sex and risk of spina bifida.

chronic - long lasting condition.

chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) - a complex disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that lasts six months or longer, and does not improve with rest or is worsened by physical or mental activity. Other symptoms can include weakness, muscle pain, impaired memory and/or mental concentration, and insomnia. The cause is unknown.

cirrhosis - the result of chronic liver disease, where the liver is scarred and no longer functions properly. This causes many complications, including build up of fluid in the abdomen, bleeding disorders, increased pressure in the blood vessels and brain function disorders.

coercion - To force someone to do something that they do not want to do.

colon cancer - cancer in the inner lining of the colon, or the part of the large intestine that serves to remove water from digested food and let the remaining material, or stool, move through it to leave the body. Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from growths in the colon called polyps. Removal of these precancerous can prevent colon cancer.

colonoscopy - a diagnostic procedure in which a flexible tube with a light source in inserted into the colon (large intestine or large bowel) through the anus to view all sections of the colon for abnormalities.

colostrum - thick, yellowish fluid secreted from breast during pregnancy, and the first few days after childbirth before the onset of mature breast milk. Also called "first milk," it provides nutrients and protection against infectious diseases.

colposcopy - procedure that uses a special microscope (called a colposcope) to look into the vagina and to look very closely at the cervix.

condom - a barrier method of birth control. There are both male and female condoms. The male condom is a sheath placed over an erect penis before sex that prevents pregnancy by blocking the passage of sperm. A female condom also is a sheath, but is inserted into the vagina to block the passage of sperm.

congenital heart disease - abnormalities of the heart's structure and function caused by abnormal or disordered heart development before birth.

connective tissue - a type of body tissue that supports other tissues and binds them together. Connective tissue provides support in the breast.

constipation - infrequent or hard stools or difficulty passing stools.

contagious - transmitted by direct or indirect contact.

convulsion - also known as a seizure. An uncontrollable contraction of muscles that can result in sudden movement or loss of control.

coronary artery disease - also called coronary heart disease. It is the most common type of heart disease that results from atherosclerosis - the gradual buildup of plaques in the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that bring blood to the heart. This disease develops slowly and silently, over decades. It can go virtually unnoticed until it produces a heart attack.

counselor - usually has a master's degree in Counseling and has completed a supervised internship.

cystic fibrosis (CF) - one of the most common serious genetic (inherited) diseases. One out of every 400 couples is at risk for having children with CF. CF causes the body to