English for Nurses: Hereditary Haemochromatosis

Part 1 - Haemochromatosis

Listen to the pronunciation of the terms here. Underline the stressed syllables in each term. Make a note of any terms you don’t know.

• hereditary
• haemochromatosis
• HFE gene
• iron overload
• ferritin
• arthritis
• joint pain
• joint inflammation
• knuckles
• hepatomegaly
• enlarged liver
• nausea
• restrictive cardiomyopathy
• hyperpigmentation
• alopecia areata
• secondary diabetes mellitus

Note:
Hereditary Haematosis = HH
haemachromatosis (UK), hemochromatosis (US)

Do you know these medical prefixes and suffixes ?

Part 2 - Complete the definitions of the terms in the vocabulary list

1. The term _____________ describes a condition that is passed on to a child through the genes.
2. If the body stores more iron than it needs, this is known as _____________.
3. An ________________________ (known as hepatomegaly) can cause a person to feel very tired and to lose their appetite.
4. A person with ______________________ loses patches of hair from parts of their body.
5. _____________________ is a type of heart disease that affects the ventricles of the heart making them stiff and unable to pump blood easily around the body.

Part 3 - Watch the video and answer the questions

1. Where is iron stored in a healthy body?
2. What are some of the organs of the body that can be affected by iron overload?
3. When do most people present with symptoms of hereditary haemochromatosis (age range)?
4. Which three tests are performed to confirm a diagnosis of hereditary haemochromatosis?
5. What is the treatment for hereditary haemochromatosis?

Part 4 - Watch again and compare your answers with the transcript at the end of the answer key