Atrial Fibrillation, or Afib — an irregular, often rapid, heart rate. The two upper heart chambers, (the atria), beat out of coordination with the two lower chambers, (the ventricles). This can result in poor blood flow to the body. Symptoms include heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, fainting.
Body Mass Index, or BMI, (AKA Quetelet Index) — person’s relative size based on their weight and height. BMI = mass (kg)/(height(m))² = mass (lb)/(height(in))² x 703.
BiPAP, or BPAP — bilevel positive airway pressure noninvasive therapy for sleep apnea. The machine delivers pressurized air through a mask to the airway. This keeps the throat muscles from collapsing. BiPAP machines have two pressure settings: the prescribed pressure for inhalation (ipap), and a lower pressure for exhalation (epap). The biggest complaint with CPAP machines is that the one pressure is difficult to exhale against. The two BoPAP settings allow the patient to get more air in and out of their lungs.
Cerebral dominance — one side of your brain gives you the ability not only to express yourself, but also to understand others. In 95% or more of right handed people, and 60% to 70% of left-handers, the left hemisphere is dominant for all language functions.
Contralaterality — one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body.
CPAP — continuous positive airway pressure
DASH Diet — Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet
insomnia — sleep disorder characterized by difficulty going to, and/or, staying asleep
MIND Diet — Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It combines the Mediterranean and the DASH, (DASH = Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), diets.
Transient Ischemic Attack, or TIA — blood flow to a part of the brain stops for a very short period of time resulting in stroke-like symptoms that resolve completely within 24 hours.