English dictionary of medical terms (67)

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[Multilingual]No:1320 - pertussis
(L. per intensive + tussis cough) an acute, highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract, most frequently affecting young children, usually caused by Bordetella pertussis; a similar illness has been associated with infection by B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica. It is characterized by a catarrhal stage, beginning after an incubation period of about two weeks, with slight fever, sneezing, running at the nose, and a dry cough. In a week or two the paroxysmal stage begins, with the characteristic paroxysmal cough, consisting of a deep inspiration, followed by a series of quick, short coughs, continuing until the air is expelled from the lungs; the close of the paroxysm is marked by a long-drawn, shrill, whooping inspiration, due to spasmodic closure of the glottis. This stage lasts three to four weeks, after which the convalescent stage begins, in which paroxysms grow less frequent and less violent, and finally cease. Called also whooping cough.
[Multilingual]No:1321 - perversion
(L. per through + versio a turning) a turning aside from the normal course; a morbid alteration of function which may occur in emotional, intellectual, or volitional fields. In psychiatry, sexual deviation.
[Multilingual]No:1322 - pessary
(L. pessarium) 1. an instrument placed in the vagina to support the uterus or rectum or as a contraceptive device. 2. a medicated vaginal suppository.
[Multilingual]No:1323 - petechia
a pinpoint, nonraised, perfectly round, purplish red spot caused by intradermal or submucous haemorrhage. Cf. ecchymosis.
[Multilingual]No:1324 - petit mal
(Fr. 'little illness') see under epilepsy.
[Multilingual]No:1325 - pH
the symbol relating the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration or activity of a solution to that of a given standard solution. Numerically the pH is approximately equal to the negative logarithm of H+ concentration expressed in molarity. pH 7 is neutral; above it alkalinity increases and below it acidity increases.
[Multilingual]No:1326 - phagocytosis
endocytosis of particulate material, such as microorganisms or cell fragments. The material is taken into the cell in membrane-bound vesicles (phagosomes) that originate as pinched off invaginations of the plasma membrane. Phagosomes fuse with lysosomes, forming phagolysosomes in which the engulfed material is killed and digested.
[Multilingual]No:1327 - phallic
(Gr. phallikos) pertaining to the phallus, or penis.
[Multilingual]No:1328 - pharmaceutical
1. pertaining to pharmacy or to drugs. 2. a medicinal drug.
[Multilingual]No:1329 - pharmacodynamics
(pharmaco + Gr. dynamis power) the study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and the mechanisms of their actions, including the correlation of actions and effects of drugs with their chemical structure; also, such effects on the actions of a particular drug or drugs.
[Multilingual]No:1330 - pharmacokinetics
the action of drugs in the body over a period of time, including the processes of absorption, distribution, localization in tissues, biotransformation, and excretion.
[Multilingual]No:1331 - pharmacologic
pertaining to pharmacology or to the properties and reactions of drugs.
[Multilingual]No:1332 - pharmacon
(Gr. pharmakon) a drug.
[Multilingual]No:1333 - pharyngitis
(pharyngo- + -itis) inflammation of the pharynx.
[Multilingual]No:1334 - phase
(Gr. phasis an appearance) any one of the varying aspects or stages through which a disease or process may pass.
[Multilingual]No:1335 - phenomenon
(Gr. phainomenon thing seen) any sign or objective symptom; any observable occurrence or fact.
[Multilingual]No:1336 - phlebitis
(phleb- + -itis) inflammation of a vein. The condition is marked by infiltration of the coats of the vein and the formation of a thrombus. The disease is attended by edema, stiffness, and pain in the affected part, and in the septic variety by pyemic symptoms.
[Multilingual]No:1337 - phlebography
(phlebo- + Gr. graphein to write) 1. roentgenography of a vein or veins by use of contrast medium. 2. the graphic recording of the venous pulse.
[Multilingual]No:1338 - phobia
(Gr. phobos fear + -ia) a persistent, irrational, intense fear of a specific object, activity, or situation (the phobic stimulus), fear that is recognized as being excessive or unreasonable by the individual himself. When a phobia is a significant source of distress or interferes with social functioning, it is considered a mental disorder; phobic disorder (or neurosis). In DSM III phobic disorders are subclassified as agoraphobia, social phobias, and simple phobias. Used as a word termination denoting irrational fear of or aversion to the subject indicated by the stem to which it is affixed.
[Multilingual]No:1339 - photophobia
(photo- + phobia) abnormal visual intolerance of light.
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