Copy of `Dorland's Medical Dictionary`

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Dorland's Medical Dictionary Category: Health and Medicine > Medical Dictionary Date & country: 31/12/2010, USA Words: 39128

alpha state
the state of relaxation and peaceful awakefulness associated with prominent alpha brain wave activity.

alpha subunit adenoma
a variant of glycoprotein adenoma that secretes only one subunit of the glycoprotein hormones; most are endocrine-inactive, although a few are endocrine-active.

alpha waves
brain waves having a frequency of 8 to 13 per second, typical of a normal person awake in a quiet resting state; they occur primarily in the occipital region.

alpha-adrenergic blocking agent
an agent that induces adrenergic blockade at α-adrenergic receptors.

alpha-adrenergic receptors
α-adrenergic receptors adrenergic receptors found in cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle; they are stimulated by norepinephrine and blocked by agents such as phenoxybenzamine. They are subdivided into two types: α1, found in smooth muscle, heart, and liver, with effects including vasoconstriction, intestinal relaxation...

alpha-blocker
alpha-blocking agent alpha-adrenergic blocking agent.

alpha-fetoprotein
(AFP) (al″fә-fe″to-pro´tēn) α-fetoprotein (fe″to-pro´tēn) a plasma protein produced by the fetal liver, yolk sac, and gastrointestinal tract and also by hepatocellular carcinoma, germ cell neoplasms, and other cancers in adults; elevated levels may ...

alpha-thalassemia
α-thalassemia thalassemia caused by diminished synthesis of alpha chains of hemoglobin. The homozygous form is incompatible with life, the stillborn infant displaying severe hydrops fetalis. The heterozygous form may be asymptomatic or marked by mild anemia.

alpha1
-antitrypsin (al´fә an″tĭ-trip´sin) α1-antitrypsin (an″tĭ-trip´sin) a member of the serpin group, a plasma protein (α1-globulin), produced primarily in the liver. It inhibits the activity of elastase, cathepsin G, trypsin, and other proteolytic enzymes. Conge...

alpha1
-proteinase inhibitor alpha1-antitrypsin.

alpha2
-macroglobulin (al´fә mak´ro-glob″u-lin) α2-macroglobulin a plasma protein that inhibits a wide variety of proteolytic enzymes, including trypsin, plasmin, thrombin, kallikrein, and chymotrypsin, by entrapping and reducing the accessibility of their functional sites to large molecules.

alpha2
-antiplasmin (al´fә an″tĭ-plaz´min) see antiplasmin.

Alphaherpesvirinae
(al″fә-hur″pēz-vir-i´ne) the herpes simplex virus and related viruses, a subfamily of Herpesviridae, containing the genera Simplexvirus and Varicellovirus.

Alphavirus
(al´fә-vi″rәs) a genus of viruses of the family Togaviridae, including eastern, western, and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis viruses, and others that cause denguelike illnesses in parts of Africa.

Alport syndrome
(al´port) an autosomal dominant disorder marked by progressive nerve deafness, progressive pyelonephritis or glomerulonephritis, and occasionally ocular defects.

alprazolam
(al-pra´zo-lam) a benzodiazepineantianxiety agent.

alprostadil
(al-pros´tә-dil) name for prostaglandin E1 when used pharmaceutically as a vasodilator and platelet aggregation inhibitor; used for treatment of patent ductus arteriosus and for diagnosis and treatment of impotence.

ALS
antilymphocyte serum; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; advanced life support.

Alström syndrome
(ahl´strәm) a recessively inherited disorder that usually appears after age 10. It consists of retinitis pigmentosa, nystagmus, loss of central vision, deafness, obesity, and diabetes mellitus.

ALT
alanine transaminase.

alteplase
(al´tә-plās) a tissue plasminogen activator produced by recombinant DNA technology; used in therapy for acute myocardial infarction, acute ischemic stroke, and acute pulmonary embolism, administered intravenously.

alternate cover test
a test for determining the type of tropia and/or phoria done by alternately covering each eye and noting the movement of the uncovered eye.

alternate generation
reproduction by alternate asexual and sexual means in an animal or plant species.

alternate hemiplegia
hemiplegia that affects a part on one side of the body and another part on the opposite side.

alternate loudness balance test
a hearing test done with pure tones that compares the loudness perceived in one ear with that perceived in the other, with the frequency kept constant.

alternate paralysis
alternate hemiplegia.

alternating current
a current that periodically flows in opposite directions; its amplitude fluctuates as a sine wave.

alternating paralysis
alternate hemiplegia.

alternating personality
dissociative identity disorder.

alternating pulse
one with regular alternation of weak and strong beats without changes in cycle length. Called also pulsus alternans.

alternation
(awl″tәr-na´shәn) the succession of two opposing or different events in turn. alternation of generations the regular alternation of two or more different forms or of different modes of reproduction in the life cycle; it may be used specifically for the alternati...

alternative complement pathway
see complement.

alternative medicine
see complementary and alternative medicine.

altitude disease
altitude sickness the condition resulting from difficulty in adjusting to lowered oxygen pressure at high altitudes. It may take the form of mountain sickness, pulmonary edema, or cerebral edema. Called also high-altitude sickness.

altretamine
(al-tret´ә-mēn) an antineoplastic agent used in the palliative treatment of ovarian carcinoma. It is structurally related to an alkylating agent but does not act as one; its exact mechanism is unknown. Administered orally.

alum
(al´әm) a local astringent and styptic, prepared as an ammonium (ammonium alum) or potassium (potassium alum) compound; also used as an adjuvant in adsorbed vaccines and toxoids.

alumina
(ә-loo´mĭ-nә) aluminum oxide. (in pharmaceuticals)aluminum hydroxide.

aluminosis
(ә-loo″mĭ-no´sis) a form of pneumoconiosis caused by aluminum-bearing dust in the lungs

aluminum
(Al) (ә-loo´mĭ-nәm) a metallic chemical element, atomic number 13, atomic weight 26.982. It occurs naturally in many foods in low concentrations and is also present in many pharmaceuticals and drinking water. High levels in the body can be toxic; see aluminum poisoning.

aluminum acetate solution
Burow solution.

aluminum chloride
a topical astringent solution and antiperspirant.

aluminum chlorohydrate
an antiperspirant; called also aluminum hydroxychloride.

aluminum hydroxide
the hydroxide of aluminum, used as an antacid and phosphate binder; the official preparation is aluminum hydroxide gel.

aluminum hydroxide gel
a preparation of aluminum hydroxide in suspension or dried form, used as an antacid in the treatment of peptic ulcer and gastric hyperacidity and as a phosphate binder in treatment of phosphate nephrolithiasis. dried aluminum hydroxide gel a form of aluminum hydroxide prepared by drying aluminum ...

aluminum hydroxychloride
aluminum chlorohydrate.

aluminum oxide
an oxide of aluminum that occurs naturally as various minerals and is used in the production of abrasives, refractories, ceramics, and catalysts; to strengthen dental ceramics; and in chromatography.

aluminum phosphate gel
a water suspension of aluminum phosphate and some flavoring agents; used as a gastric antacid, astringent, and soothing agent.

aluminum poisoning
the toxic effects of high levels of aluminum or its compounds in the body. In the gastrointestinal tract aluminum inhibits absorption of electrolytes; inhalation of aluminum fumes may cause pulmonary fibrosis; and aluminum in the bloodstream may lead to serious neurological symptoms, such as in dialysis encephalopathy.

aluminum silicate
the silicate salt of aluminum, found in nature in several different hydrated forms that have pharmaceutical or dental uses; see attapulgite, fuller's earth, and kaolin.

aluminum subacetate
a compound used as an astringent, diluted with water.

aluminum sulfate
a compound used as an astringent solution and antiperspirant.

alveolalgia
(al″ve-o-lal´jә) pain in the alveolus of a tooth after extraction; see also dry socket.

alveolar abscess
apical abscess (def. 2).

alveolar adenocarcinoma
bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.

alveolar basal cell carcinoma
cystic basal cell carcinoma.

alveolar bone
the thin layer of bone making up the bony processes of the maxilla and mandible, surrounding and containing the teeth; it is pierced by many small blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves.

alveolar carcinoma
bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.

alveolar cell
any cell of the walls of the pulmonary alveoli; the term is often limited to alveolar epithelial cells (type I and type II alveolar cells) and alveolar macrophages. Called also pneumocyte and pneumonocyte.

alveolar cell tumor
bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.

alveolar crest
alveolar ridge.

alveolar cyst
dilatation of a pulmonary alveolus; several may fuse by breakdown of their septa to form large air-filled cysts called pneumatoceles.

alveolar dead space
the difference between anatomic dead space and physiologic dead space, representing the space in alveoli occupied by air that does not participate in oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange (alveolar ventilation). It varies in different parts of the lungs and under different conditions.

alveolar ducts
small passages connecting the respiratory bronchioles and the alveolar sacs.

alveolar edema
pulmonary edema in the alveoli, usually with hypoxemia and dyspnea.

alveolar epithelial cells
the cells of the alveolar epithelium; see alveolar cells.

alveolar hydatid disease
a type of hydatid disease in which larval forms (hydatid cysts) of Echinococcus multilocularis invade and destroy tissues, undergoing endogenous budding to form an aggregate of small cysts that honeycomb the affected organ (usually the liver); in time the cysts may metastasize to other organs.

alveolar osteitis
dry socket.

alveolar point
the center of the anterior margin of the alveolar arch.

alveolar pressure
the pressure exerted by the air in the pulmonary alveoli.

alveolar process
the part of the bone in either the maxilla or mandible that surrounds and supports the teeth.

alveolar ridge
a bony ridge of the maxilla or mandible, the part of the alveolar process that contains the alveoli; called also alveolar crest.

alveolar sacs
air sacs.

alveolar septum
interalveolar septum.

alveolar soft part sarcoma
a well-circumscribed, painless, highly metastatic neoplasm with a distinctive alveolar pattern, usually in the limbs, head, and neck of young adults.

alveolar ventilation
a fraction of the pulmonary ventilation, being the amount of air that reaches the alveoli and is available for gas exchange with the blood.

alveolar-capillary barrier
alveolar-capillary membrane.

alveolar-capillary block
interference in the normal diffusion of gases across the membrane between the alveolar spaces and the pulmonary capillaries.

alveolar-capillary membrane
a thin tissue barrier through which gases are exchanged between the alveolar air and the blood in the pulmonary capillaries. Called also blood-air barrier and blood-gas barrier.

alveolectomy
(al″ve-o-lek´tә-me) surgical excision of part of the alveolar process.

alveolitis
(al″ve-o-li´tis) inflammation of a dental or pulmonary alveolus. allergic alveolitis , extrinsic allergic alveolitis hypersensitivity pneumonitis. alveolitis sicca dolorosa dry socket.

alveolocapillary barrier
alveolocapillary membrane alveolar-capillary membrane.

alveolodental
(al-ve″ә-lo-den´tәl) pertaining to teeth and the alveolar process.

alveolodental membrane
periodontium.

alveolotomy
(al″ve-ә-lot´ә-me) incision of the alveolar process.

alveolus
(al-ve´ә-lәs) pl. alve´oli Latin word meaning a little hollow, such as the socket of a tooth, a follicle of an acinous gland, or a pulmonary alveolus. adj., alve´olar., adj. dental alveolus the cavities or sockets of either jaw, in which the roots of the teeth are embe...

alveus
(al´ve-әs) pl. al´vei Latin word meaning canal or trough.

alymphia
(a-lim´fe-ә) deficiency or absence of lymph.

alymphocytosis
(a-lim″fo-si-to´sis) deficiency of lymphocytes in the blood.

alymphoplasia
(a-lim-fo-pla´zhә) failure of development of lymphoid tissue.

Alzheimer cell
(awltz´hi-mәr) a type of giant astrocyte with a large prominent nucleus, found in the brain in hepatolenticular degeneration and hepatic coma. degenerated astrocytes.

Alzheimer disease
(awltz´hi-mәr) irreversible dementia with intellectual deterioration, disorganization of the personality, and functional disabilities in carrying out activities of daily living. The official name is now dementia of the Alzheimer type. It is categorized as either presenile (early onset) or senile (late onset) depending o...

Am
americium.

AMA
American Medical Association.

amacrine
(am´ә-krēn) without long processes.

amacrine cell
any of five types of retinal neurons that seem to lack large axons, having only processes that resemble dendrites. Called also A cell.

amalgam
(ә-mal´gәm) an alloy of mercury with other metals used in tooth fillings.

amalgamation
(ә-mal´gә-ma´shәn) trituration (def. 3).

Amanita
(am″ә-ni´tә) a genus of mushrooms, several species of which are poisonous. A. phalloi´des, the destroying angel or death cup, and the similar species A. ver´na and A. viro´sa produce a hemolysin and a mixture of peptide toxins such as phalloidin that cause irreversible damage to cardiac muscle, liver, and ki...

amantadine
(ә-man´tә-dēn) an antiviral compound used as the hydrochloride salt to treat influenza A; also used as an antidyskinetic in the treatment of parkinsonism and drug-induced extrapyramidal reactions.

amastia
(ә-mas´te-ә) congenital absence of one or both mammary glands.