Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

hypertonic solution
A solution that contains
more dissolved particles (such as salt and other
electrolytes) than is found in normal cells and
blood. For example, hypertonic solutions are used
for soaking wounds.
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
See 
cardiomy-
opathy, hypertrophic.
hypertrophy
Enlargement or overgrowth of an
organ or part of the body due to the increased size
of the constituent cells.
hypertrophy, benign prostatic
See 
benign
prostatic hyperplasia.
hypernatremia
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hyperuricemia
Abnormally elevated uric acid in
the blood. Uric acid is a breakdown product of
purines, which are part of many foods.
Hyperuricemia may indicate an increased risk of
gout, but many patients with hyperuricemia do not
develop gout, and some patients with repeated gout
attacks have normal or low blood uric acid levels.
Hyperuricemia can also lead to kidney stones and
hard deposits of uric acid (tophi) in the skin. People
with hyperuricemia should avoid taking aspirin.
Treatments may include dietary changes and the use
of medications that lower uric acid level.
hyperventilation
Overbreathing. Hyperventilation
causes dizziness, lightheadedness, a sense of
unsteadiness, and tingling around the mouth and
fingertips. Hyperventilation can be severe enough to
mimic the early warning symptoms of a heart attack,
and is therefore a common cause of emergency
room visits in the US. Hyperventilation is common
and normal after aerobic exercise. Hyperventilation
can be caused by serious diseases of metabolism
and anxiety. Relief for hyperventilation caused by
anxiety can be achieved by breathing in and out of a
paper bag to increase the level of carbon dioxide in
the blood.
hypo-
Prefix meaning low, under, beneath, down,
or below normal, as in hypoglycemia (low blood
sugar) and hyposensitivity (undersensitivity). The
opposite of hypo- is hyper-.
hypocalcemia
Lower-than-normal level of cal-
cium in the blood, which makes the nervous system
highly irritable, as evidenced by tetany (spasms of the
hands and feet, muscle cramps, abdominal cramps,
and overly active reflexes). Chronic hypocalcemia
contributes to poor mineralization of bones, soft
bones (osteomalacia), and osteoporosis. In children,
hypocalcemia leads to rickets and impaired growth.
Treatment involves increased dietary intake of cal-
cium or calcium supplementation. 
hypochondria
The condition of being obsessed
with imaginary medical complaints. A person with
hypochondria tends to misinterpret minor physical
changes as symptoms of major illness. It is closely
related to, and may be a subtype of, obsessive-
compulsive disorder. Treatment with antidepressant
medication and/or cognitive behavioral therapy is
often successful. See also 
obsessive-compulsive
disorder.