Medical Dictionary

Aetiology: The study of the causes. For example, of a disorder. The word "aetiology" is mainly used in medicine, where it is the science that deals with the causes or origin of disease, the factors which produce or predispose toward a certain disea...

Aesculapius - Medical

Aesculapius: That stick with the snake curled around it is the staff (the rod) of Aesculapius (also called Asklepios), the ancient god of medicine. His Greek name was Asklepios and his Roman name Aesculapius. In reality, Asklepios may have...

Aerotitis media - Medical

Aerotitis media: See Aerotitis. Last Editorial Review: 3/26/1998 2:23:00 PM...

Aerotitis - Medical

Aerotitis: Middle ear problems due to changing atmospheric pressures, as when a plane descends to land. The problems include ear pain, ringing, diminished hearing and, sometimes, dizziness. The word aerotitis (pronounced aer-o-tit-is) is compounde...

Aerospace medicine - Medical

Aerospace medicine: The fields of medicine concerned with the maintenance of health, safety, and performance of those in aviation and space travel. Aerospace medicine is the sum of aviation medicine and space medicine -- health in flight both inside ...

Aerosolization - Medical

Aerosolization: The production of an aerosol -- a fine mist or spray containing minute particles. See: Aerosol. Last Editorial Review: 3/14/2004 Aerosol: 1. In general, a fine mist or spray which contains minute particles. 2. In medicine, a spray...

Aerosol - Medical

Aerosol: 1. In general, a fine mist or spray which contains minute particles. 2. In medicine, a spray administered by a nebulizer and inhaled for treatment. 3. In medicine, a mist that causes disease as, for example, the hantavirus pulmonary synd...

Aerosinusitis - Medical

Aerosinusitis: Sinus troubles, particularly with pain, due to changing atmospheric pressures, as when going up or down in a plane. Also called barosinusitis or sinus barotrauma. Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM...

Aerophobia - Medical

Aerophobia: An abnormal and persistent fear of flying. Sufferers experience severe anxiety even though they usually realize that the flying does not pose a threat commensurate with their fear. Aerophobia also means an irrational fear of fresh ...

Aerophagia - Medical

Aerophagia: Swallowing too much air, a common cause of gas in the stomach and belching. Everyone swallows small amounts of air when eating or drinking. However, rapid eating or drinking, chewing gum, smoking, or ill-fitting dentures may cause a sig...

Aerobic exercise - Medical

Aerobic exercise: Brisk physical activity that requires the heart and lungs to work harder to meet the body's increased oxygen demand. Aerobic exercise promotes the circulation of oxygen through the blood. Examples of aerobic exercise include runni...

Aerobic - Medical

Aerobic: Oxygen-requiring. Aerobic bacteria need oxygen to grow. Aerobic exercise requires the heart and lungs to work harder to meet the body's increased oxygen demand. Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM...

Aer-, aero- - Medical

Aer-, aero-: Prefix indicating a problem due to air or gas, such as aerogastria (excess stomach gas.)Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM...

AED (automated external defibrillator) - Medical

AED (automated external defibrillator): See: Automated external defibrillator.Last Editorial Review: 9/28/2003 Automated external defibrillator: A device that automatically analyzes the heart rhythm and, if it detects a problem that may respond to...

Adverse reaction - Medical

Adverse reaction: In pharmacology, any unexpected or dangerous reaction to a drug. An unwanted effect caused by the administration of a drug. The onset of the adverse reaction may be sudden or develop over time. Also called an adverse drug event (A...

Adverse event - Medical

Adverse event: In pharmacology, any unexpected or dangerous reaction to a drug.Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM...

Adverse effect - Medical

Adverse effect: A harmful or abnormal result. An adverse effect may be caused by administration of a medication or by exposure to a chemical and be indicated by an untoward result such as by illness or death. Last Editorial Review: 1/20/2004...

Adverse drug reaction - Medical

Adverse drug reaction: See: Adverse reaction.Last Editorial Review: 8/14/2004 Adverse reaction: In pharmacology, any unexpected or dangerous reaction to a drug. An unwanted effect caused by the administration of a drug. The onset of the adverse reac...

Adverse drug event - Medical

Adverse drug event: See: Adverse reaction. Last Editorial Review: 8/14/2004 Adverse reaction: In pharmacology, any unexpected or dangerous reaction to a drug. An unwanted effect caused by the administration of a drug. The onset of the adverse react...

Adventitious - Medical

Adventitious: Coming from an external source or occurring in an unusual place or manner. Not inherent, inherited or innate but rather occurring accidentally or spontaneously. When a doctor or nurse auscults (listens to) the chest or abdomen, adventi...

Adventitia - Medical

Adventitia: The outermost connective tissue covering of any organ, vessel, or other structure. For example, the connective tissue that surrounds an artery is called the adventitia because it is considered extraneous to the artery. "Adventitia" come...

Advanced paternal age - Medical

Advanced paternal age: A man who is age 40 years or older at the time of conception. (There is no universally accepted definition of advanced paternal age but this criterion is often used in genetic counseling.) Advanced paternal age is associated...

Advanced maternal age - Medical

Advanced maternal age: Usually defined as age 35 or more for the mother at the time of delivery of her baby. Advanced maternal age predisposes to Down syndrome (trisomy 21). The risk of having a Down syndrome baby rises with maternal age. It essent...

Advance grief - Medical

Advance grief: See: Anticipatory grief.Last Editorial Review: 1/22/2004 Anticipatory grief: The normal mourning that occurs when a patient or family is expecting a death. Anticipatory grief has many of the same symptoms as those experienced after a ...

Adult-onset Still disease - Medical

Adult-onset Still disease: Although Still disease was first described in children, it is known to begin in adults (rarely). Of all patients with Still disease, 100% have high intermittent fever; 100% have joint inflammation and pain, muscle pain w...

Adult-onset diabetes - Medical

Adult-onset diabetes: Type 2 diabetes. See also Diabetes, type 2. Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM Diabetes, type 2: One of the two major types of diabetes, the type in which the beta cells of the pancreas produce insulin but the body ...

Adult T-cell lymphoma - Medical

Adult T-cell lymphoma: See: Adult T-cell leukemia. Last Editorial Review: 8/20/2004...

Adult respiratory distress syndrome - Medical

Adult respiratory distress syndrome: Better known as ARDS. See: ARDS. Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM ARDS: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. A fulminant lung condition in which trauma to the lungs leads to inflammation of the l...

Adult primary liver cancer - Medical

Adult primary liver cancer: A tumor in which the cancer starts during adulthood in cells in the liver. Also called hepatocellular carcinoma. Primary liver cancer is different from cancer that has metastasized (spread) from another place in the b...

Adult ADHD - Medical

Adult ADHD: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as found in the adult population. ADHD is a well-known childhood disorder that is characterized by varying degrees of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattention that lead to diffic...