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

premolar teeth
the permanent teeth between the canines and the molars; there are two on either side in each jaw. The upper premolars have two cusps and the lower ones have from one to three cusps. The deciduous teeth that are replaced by premolars are molars. Called also bicuspid teeth.

premonitory pains
mild uterine contractions before the beginning of true labor.

premorbid
(pre-mor´bid) occurring before the development of disease.

premotor area
an area of the motor cortex of the frontal lobe immediately in front of the precentral gyrus.

premotor syndrome
the association of spastic hemiplegia with increased reflexes, disturbances of skilled movements, forced grasping, and transient vasomotor disturbance; occurring in very large lesions of the premotor cortex.

premyeloblast
(pre-mi´ә-lo-blast″) a precursor of a myeloblast.

prenatal
(pre-na´tәl) preceding birth.

prenatal care
care of the pregnant woman before delivery of the infant. See also pregnancy.

preoperative
(pre-op´әr-ә-tiv) preceding an operation.

preoperative therapy
neoadjuvant therapy.

preoptic arteries
origin, anterior cerebral artery; branches, none; distribution, preoptic region.

prepancreatic artery
an arterial arch between the neck and uncinate process of the pancreas, formed by branches from the splenic artery and the anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery.

prepared childbirth
an educational approach to labor and delivery in which the parents are specially prepared for the event. The aim is for the mother to be awake and cooperative and for the father to assume an active and supportive role during the birth of their child. Methods of instruction vary, but all proponents advocate a family-center...

prepartal
(pre-pahr´tәl) antepartal.

prepatellar
(pre″pә-tel´әr) in front of the patella.

prepatellar bursitis
inflammation of the bursa in front of the patella, with fluid accumulating within it.

preperitoneal hernia
an interstitial hernia located between the parietal peritoneum and the transversalis fascia.

preprandial
(pre-pran´de-әl) before meals.

preproinsulin
(pre″pro-in´sә-lin) the precursor of proinsulin, containing an additional polypeptide sequence at the N-terminal.

preproprotein
(pre″pro-pro´tēn) any precursor of a proprotein.

preprotein
(pre-pro´tēn) a protein precursor that contains a signal peptide sequence; it is a nonpolar sequence at the head of the growing polypeptide chain and is required for its transfer into the cistern of the endoplasmic reticulum; the signal sequence is then cleaved to form the protein or proprotein.

prepuberal
(pre-pu´bәr-әl) prepubertal.

prepubertal
(pre-pu´bәr-tәl) before puberty; pertaining to the period of accelerated growth preceding gonadal maturity.

prepubescent
(pre″pu-bes´әnt) prepubertal.

prepuce
(pre´pūs) a loose fold of skin that covers the glans penis, a continuation of the loose skin that covers the entire penis and scrotum. Called also foreskin. adj., prepu´tial., adj. prepuce of clitoris a fold capping the clitoris formed by union of the labia minora and the cl...

preputial glands
small sebaceous glands of the corona of the penis and the inner surface of the prepuce, which secrete smegma; called also Littre glands and Tyson glands.

preputiotomy
(pre-pu″she-ot´ә-me) incision of the prepuce of the penis to relieve phimosis.

preputium
(pre-pu´she-әm) foreskin.

prepyloric
(pre″pi-lor´ik) just proximal to the pylorus.

prepyloric atresia
congenital membranous obstruction of the gastric outlet, characterized by vomiting of gastric contents only. Called also pyloric atresia.

prepyloric vein
a vein that accompanies the prepyloric artery, passing upward over the anterior surface of the junction between the pylorus and the duodenum and emptying into the right gastric vein.

presacral
(pre-sa´krәl) anterior to or preceding the sacrum.

presacral block
regional anesthesia produced by injection of the local anesthetic into the sacral nerves on the anterior aspect of the sacrum.

presbyatrics
(pres-be-at´riks) geriatrics.

presbycardia
(pres″be-kahr´de-ә) impairment of cardiac function attributed to aging, with senescent changes in the body and no evidence of other cause of heart disease.

presbycusis
(pres″bĭ-ku´sis) progressive sensorineural hearing loss that is in both ears and happens as a person ages; it usually occurs after age 50 and is caused by structural changes in the organs of hearing. At first the changes in the inner ear, such as degeneration of hair cells and changes in the basilar membrane,...

presbyope
(pres´be-ōp) a person with presbyopia.

presbyopia
(pres″be-o´pe-ә) lessening of accommodation of the lens of the eye, a process that happens normally with aging and usually results in farsightedness (hyperopia). It is caused by a loss of elasticity in the crystalline lens, which focuses images on the retina with the aid of muscles that stretch it to make it less ...

prescription
(prĕ-skrip´shәn) a written directive, as for the compounding or dispensing and administration of drugs, or for other service to a particular patient. In the United States, federal law divides medications into two main classes: prescription medications and over the counter medications. Dangerous, powerful, or habit-...

presection suture
a stitch or series of stitches placed in the tissues before an incision is made.

presegmenting bodies
malarial parasites (Plasmodium) before they undergo segmentation.

presenile
(pre-se´nīl) pertaining to a condition resembling senility, but occurring in early or middle life.

presenile cataract
a senile type subcapsular cataract in a person under 40 years of age.

presenile dementia
name given to dementia of the Alzheimer type when it occurs in persons younger than age 65.

presentation
(pre″zәn-ta´shәn) that part of the fetus lying over the pelvic inlet; the presenting body part of the fetus; see also lie. Presentation of fetus.

presenting symptom
the symptom or group of symptoms that the patient complains about or seeks relief from.

preservative
(prә-zur´vә-tiv) a substance added to a product to destroy or inhibit multiplication of microorganisms.

presomite
(pre-so´mīt) referring to embryos before the appearance of somites.

presphenoid
(pre-sfe´noid) the anterior portion of the body of the sphenoid bone.

prespinal
(pre-spi´nal) in front of the spine.

pressor
(pres´or) tending to increase blood pressure.

pressor fibers
afferent nerve fibers that when stimulated reflexly cause or increase vasomotor tone and thus increase arterial pressure.

pressor nerve
any afferent nerve whose irritation stimulates a vasomotor center and increases intravascular tension.

pressor reflex
a reflex that increases the blood pressure.

pressor substance
vasopressor (def. 2).

pressoreceptive
(pres″o-re-sep´tiv) sensitive to stimuli due to vasomotor activity; called also pressosensitive.

pressoreceptor
(pres″o-re-sep´tәr) baroreceptor.

pressosensitive
(pres″o-sen´sĭ-tiv) pressoreceptive.

pressure
(P) (presh´әr) force per unit area.

pressure atrophy
decrease in the size of a tissue cell caused by excessive pressure.

pressure bandage
one for applying pressure, for the purpose of arresting hemorrhage; pressure is applied directly over the wound.

pressure cone
the area of compression exerted by a mass in the brain, as in transtentorial herniation.

pressure control mode
a mode of positive pressure ventilation in which each breath is augmented by air at a fixed rate and amount of pressure, with tidal volume not being fixed. See also under ventilation.

pressure control ventilation
positive pressure ventilation in which breaths are augmented by air at a fixed rate and amount of pressure, with tidal volume not being fixed; used particularly for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

pressure diverticulum
pulsion diverticulum a sac or pouch formed by hernial protrusion of the mucous membrane through the muscular coat of the esophagus or colon as a result of pressure from within.

pressure fracture
one caused by pressure on the bone from an adjoining tumor.

pressure necrosis
necrosis due to insufficient local blood supply, as in pressure ulcers.

pressure paralysis
compression paralysis.

pressure point
a point of extreme sensitivity to pressure. one of various locations on the body at which pressure with the fingers may be applied to control bleeding. Various pressure points used to control bleeding.

pressure sense
the faculty by which pressure upon the surface of the body is perceived.

pressure support mode
a mode of positive pressure ventilation similar to the assist mode; the patient breathes spontaneously and breathing is augmented by air at a preset amount of pressure. See also under ventilation.

pressure support ventilation
positive pressure ventilation in which the patient breathes spontaneously and breathing is augmented with air at a preset amount of pressure, with tidal volume not being fixed.

pressure ulcer
an ulcer due to local interference with circulation; persons most at risk are those who are emaciated (nutritionally deficient in protein), obese, immobilized by traction or anything else, diabetic, or suffering from a circulatory disorder. Because urine and feces contribute to skin breakdown, incontinent patients are at high r...

pressure-arresting point
a point at which pressure arrests spasm.

pressure-exciting point
a point at which pressure produces spasm.

pressured speech
logorrhea.

presternal region
the region of the thorax overlying the sternum, bounded laterally by the pectoral regions.

presurgical therapy
neoadjuvant therapy.

presylvian fissure
the anterior branch of the fissure of Sylvius.

presymptomatic
(pre″simp-to-mat´ik) existing before the appearance of symptoms.

presynaptic
(pre″sĭ-nap´tik) situated or occurring proximal to a synapse.

presystole
(pre-sis´to-le) the interval just before systole.

presystolic
(pre″sis-tol´ik) preceding systole.

presystolic gallop
S4 gallop.

presystolic murmur
one shortly before the onset of ventricular ejection, usually associated with a narrowed atrioventricular valve.

preterm
(pre-term´) before completion of the full term of pregnancy, such as a preterm infant.

preterm infant
one born before a gestational age of 37 completed weeks (259 days), with gestation measured from the first day of the last menstrual period.

pretibial
(pre-tib´e-әl) in front of the tibia.

pretibial fever
a type of leptospirosis marked by a rash on the pretibial region, with malaise, nasal inflammation, and pain in the lumbar region and behind the eyes.

prevalence
(prev´ә-lәns) the number of cases of a specific disease present in a given population at a certain time; see also prevalence rate.

prevalence rate
the number of people in a population who have a disease at a given time; the numerator is the number of existing cases of disease at a specified time and the denominator is the total population. Time may be a point or a defined interval, and is traditionally the former if unspecified. Compare incidence rate.

prevascular femoral hernia
a femoral hernia in the femoral sheath anterior to the femoral vessels. Called also Velpeau hernia.

prevention
(pre-ven´shun) the keeping of something (such as an illness or injury) from happening. primary prevention the first level of health care, designed to prevent the occurrence of disease and promote health. secondary prevention the second level of health care,...

preventive
(pre-ven´tiv) serving to block the occurrence of something. prophylactic (def. 2).

preventive care
the level of care in a health care system that consists of public health services and related programs such as school health education.

preventive medicine
the branch of medical study and practice aimed at preventing disease and promoting health.

preventive psychiatry
a broad term referring to the amelioration, control, and limitation of psychiatric disability.

prevesical
(pre-ves´ĭ-kәl) anterior to the urinary bladder.

Prévost sign
a sign of hemiplegia: conjugate deviation of the head and eyes, the eyes looking toward the affected hemisphere and away from the paralyzed limbs.

Preyer reflex
auricle reflex.