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Glossary

Showing 371-380 out of 1156 Terms

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  • Dressing change

    The act of removing and replacing a medical implement.

  • Drug

    (drug)

    Any substance, other than food, that is used to prevent, diagnose, treat or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition. Also refers to a substance that alters mood or body function, or that can be habit-forming or addictive, especially a narcotic.

  • Drug abuse

    (drug-uh-BYOOS)

    The use of illegal drugs or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are meant to be used, or in large amounts. Drug abuse may lead to social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems.

  • Drug accountability record

    (drug-uh-KOWN-tuh-BIH-lih-tee REH-kurd)

    A log of study drugs kept by an investigator running a clinical trial. It lists many things about each drug, including the drug name, lot number, expiration date, the amount of drug received, used, returned, or thrown away, and the amount left. Drug Accountability Records help make sure that a clinical trial is done safely and correctly. Drug Accountability Records are required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Also called DAR.

  • Drug interaction

    (drug-IN-teh-RAK-shun)

    A change in the way a drug acts in the body when taken with certain other drugs, herbals, or foods, or when taken with certain medical conditions. Drug interactions may cause the drug to be more or less effective, or cause effects on the body that are not expected.

  • Drug resistance

    (drug-reh-ZIH-stunts)

    The failure of cancer cells, viruses, or bacteria to respond to a drug used to kill or weaken them. The cells, viruses, or bacteria may be resistant to the drug at the beginning of treatment, or may become resistant after being exposed to the drug.

  • Drug therapy

    (drug-THAYR-uh-pee)

    Treatment with any substance, other than food, that is used to prevent, diagnose, treat, or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition.

  • Drug tolerance

    (drug-TAH-leh-runts)

    A condition that occurs when the body gets used to a medicine so that either more medicine is needed or different medicine is needed.

  • Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

    (DUK-tul KAR-sih-NOH-muh in SY-too)

    A noninvasive condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lining of a breast duct. The abnormal cells have not spread outside the duct to other tissues in the breast. In some cases, ductal carcinoma in situ may become invasive cancer and spread to other tissues. At this time, there is no way to know which lesions could become invasive. Also called DCIS and intraductal carcinoma.

  • Dye/contrast

    A substance comparatively opaque to X-rays introduced into the body to compare to an internal part with its surrounding tissue in radiographic visualization.