Medicine, NAT-PRE

Humans have long sought to find cures for the ailments and injuries that befall them. This has led to a long history of diverse attempted treatments, including herbal remedies, leeching, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, homeopathy, and more, all the way up to the most recent science-based treatments that have come into use during the development of today's modern medicine. Medical research and the study of the causes of disease have led to rapid and significant advances in medicine, improving both the efficacy of treatments and our understanding of illnesses and how they operate. The importance of preventive medicine has grown, and the field of medicine has become increasingly specialized as medical disciplines and branches such as endocrinology, immunology, psychiatry, radiology, epidemiology, and nanomedicine have emerged.
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Medicine Encyclopedia Articles By Title

National Ambient Air Quality Standards
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), in the United States, allowable levels of harmful air pollutants......
National Health Service
National Health Service (NHS), in Great Britain, a comprehensive public-health service under government administration,......
nephrology
nephrology, branch of medicine concerned with the study of kidney functions and the treatment of kidney diseases.......
neural engineering
neural engineering, in biomedicine, discipline in which engineering technologies and mathematical and computational......
neurofeedback
neurofeedback, form of therapy in which the brain’s electrical activity is assessed and measured to help correct......
neurology
neurology, medical specialty concerned with the nervous system and its functional or organic disorders. Neurologists......
neuropsychiatry
neuropsychiatry, area of science and medicine focused on the integrated study of psychiatric and neurological conditions......
niacin
niacin, water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. It is also called the pellagra-preventive vitamin because an adequate......
nicotine
nicotine, an organic compound that is the principal alkaloid of tobacco. (An alkaloid is one of a group of nitrogenous......
nitroglycerin
nitroglycerin, a powerful explosive and an important ingredient of most forms of dynamite. It is also used with......
nitromersol
nitromersol, synthetic mercury-containing organic compound used as an antiseptic for the skin and mucous membranes......
nondirective psychotherapy
nondirective psychotherapy, an approach to the treatment of mental disorders that aims primarily toward fostering......
notifiable disease
notifiable disease, any of various health conditions that, upon detection, are required to be reported to public......
Novartis AG
Novartis AG, Swiss company that is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of pharmaceuticals. It was formed in......
Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk A/S is an international pharmaceutical research, development, and manufacturing corporation established......
NSAID
NSAID, drug that reduces inflammation and is effective against pain (see analgesic) and fever. Most NSAIDs are......
nuclear medicine
nuclear medicine, medical specialty that involves the use of radioactive isotopes in the diagnosis and treatment......
nuclear transfer
nuclear transfer, the introduction of the nucleus from a cell into an enucleated egg cell (an egg cell that has......
nurse practitioner
nurse practitioner (NP), nonphysician clinician who is a nurse with a graduate degree in advanced-practice nursing.......
nursing
nursing, profession that assumes responsibility for the continuous care of the sick, the injured, the disabled,......
nursing home
nursing home, facility for care (usually long-term) of patients who are not sick enough to need hospital care but......
obstetrics and gynecology
obstetrics and gynecology, medical/surgical specialty concerned with the care of women from pregnancy until after......
occupational disease
occupational disease, any illness associated with a particular occupation or industry. Such diseases result from......
occupational medicine
occupational medicine, the branch of medicine concerned with the maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment......
occupational therapy
occupational therapy, use of self-care and work and play activities to promote and maintain health, prevent disability,......
omalizumab
What conditions is omalizumab used to treat? Omalizumab is used to treat moderate to severe allergic asthma, chronic......
open-heart surgery
open-heart surgery, any surgical procedure that requires an incision into the heart, thus exposing one or more......
ophthalmology
ophthalmology, medical specialty dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the eye.......
ophthalmoscope
ophthalmoscope, instrument for inspecting the interior of the eye. The ophthalmoscope generally is considered to......
opioid
opioid, class of drugs derived from substances that occur naturally in the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) and......
opium
opium, narcotic drug that is obtained from the unripe seedpods of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), a plant......
optogenetics
optogenetics, experimental method in biological research involving the combination of optics and genetics in technologies......
optometry
optometry, health-care profession concerned with examining the eyes for defects of vision and diagnosing and treating......
oral and maxillofacial surgery
oral and maxillofacial surgery, dental specialty that deals with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of the diseases,......
oral contraceptive
oral contraceptive, any of a class of synthetic steroid hormones that suppress the release of follicle-stimulating......
oral rehydration therapy
oral rehydration therapy (ORT), treatment consisting of a salt-and-sugar-based solution taken orally to treat dehydration......
Oregon Health and Science University
Oregon Health and Science University, public, coeducational institution of higher learning in Portland, Oregon,......
organ donation
organ donation, the act of giving one or more organs (or parts thereof), without compensation, for transplantation......
orthodontics
orthodontics, division of dentistry dealing with the prevention and correction of irregularities of the teeth—generally......
orthopedics
orthopedics, medical specialty concerned with the preservation and restoration of function of the skeletal system......
oseltamivir
oseltamivir, antiviral drug that is active against both influenza type A and influenza type B viruses. Oseltamivir......
osteopathy
osteopathy, health care profession that emphasizes the relationship between the musculoskeletal structure and organ......
ostomy
ostomy, (from Latin ostium, “mouth”), any procedure in which an artificial stoma, or opening, is surgically created;......
otolaryngology
otolaryngology, medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, nose, and......
oxazolidinone
oxazolidinone, class of synthetic antibiotics defined chemically by a heterocyclic ring structure that contains......
oxycodone
oxycodone, semisynthetic drug with potent pain-relieving effects that is derived from thebaine, an alkaloid that......
oxygen therapy
oxygen therapy, in medicine, the administration of oxygen. Oxygen therapy is used for acute conditions, in which......
pacemaker
pacemaker, electronic cardiac-support device that produces rhythmic electrical impulses that take over the regulation......
palliative care
palliative care, form of health care that seeks to improve the quality of life of patients with terminal disease......
palpation
palpation, medical diagnostic examination with the hands to discover internal abnormalities. By palpation the physician......
Pan American Health Organization
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), organization founded in December 1902 to improve health conditions in......
Pap smear
Pap smear, laboratory method of obtaining secretions from the cervix for the examination of cast-off epithelial......
paraldehyde
paraldehyde, colourless liquid of disagreeable taste and pungent odour used in medicine as a sedative–hypnotic......
paramedical personnel
paramedical personnel, health-care workers who provide clinical services to patients under the supervision of a......
paregoric
paregoric, preparation principally used in the treatment of diarrhea. Paregoric, which decreases movement of the......
patch test
patch test, controlled application of biological or chemical substances to the skin in order to detect if the subject......
pathology
pathology, medical specialty concerned with the determining causes of disease and the structural and functional......
PCP
PCP, hallucinogenic drug with anesthetic properties, having the chemical name 1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)piperidine.......
PDE-5 inhibitor
PDE-5 inhibitor, category of drugs that relieve erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men. Two common commercially......
pediatrics
pediatrics, medical specialty dealing with the development and care of children and with the diagnosis and treatment......
pedodontics
pedodontics, dental specialty that deals with the care of children’s teeth. The pedodontist is extensively concerned......
penicillin
penicillin, one of the first and still one of the most widely used antibiotic agents, derived from the Penicillium......
percussion
percussion, in medicine, diagnostic procedure that entails striking the body directly or indirectly with short,......
periodontics
periodontics, dental specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of functional and structural......
personalized medicine
personalized medicine, field of medicine in which decisions concerning disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment......
Pfizer Inc.
Pfizer Inc. is one of the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical and biomedical companies, known for developing,......
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical, substance used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of disease and for restoring, correcting,......
pharmacology
pharmacology, branch of medicine that deals with the interaction of drugs with the systems and processes of living......
pharmacopoeia
pharmacopoeia, book published by a government, or otherwise under official sanction, to provide standards of strength......
pharmacy
pharmacy, the science and art concerned with the preparation and standardization of drugs. Its scope includes the......
pharming
pharming, the generation of pharmaceuticals using animals or plants that have been genetically engineered. Pharming......
phenobarbital
phenobarbital, barbiturate drug that became available in 1912, used in medicine as a sedative-hypnotic. See...
phenolsulfonphthalein test
phenolsulfonphthalein test, clinical procedure for the estimation of overall blood flow through the kidney; the......
phenothiazine
phenothiazine, widely used anthelmintic (worming agent) in veterinary medicine. Phenothiazine is an organic compound......
phentermine
phentermine, drug used in the treatment of obesity. Phentermine is the most commonly prescribed drug for weight......
Philips
Royal Philips (formerly Philips Electronics) is a major Dutch manufacturer of consumer electronics, electronic......
phonocardiography
phonocardiography, diagnostic technique that creates a graphic record, or phonocardiogram, of the sounds and murmurs......
photorefractive keratectomy
photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), common surgical method that reshapes the cornea (the transparent membrane covering......
physical medicine and rehabilitation
physical medicine and rehabilitation, medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention......
physical therapy
physical therapy, health profession that aims to improve movement and mobility in persons with compromised physical......
phytotherapy
phytotherapy, the use of plant-derived medications in the treatment and prevention of disease. Phytotherapy is......
piperazine
piperazine, anthelmintic drug used in the treatment of intestinal roundworm infection in humans and domestic animals......
placebo
placebo, an inert, or dummy, drug. Placebos are sometimes prescribed for maladies with no known scientific treatment......
placebo effect
placebo effect, psychological or psychophysiological improvement attributed to therapy with an inert substance......
plague doctor
plague doctor, physician contracted by a government to tend to patients infected with plague during an epidemic,......
plastic surgery
plastic surgery, the functional, structural, and aesthetic restoration of all manner of defects and deformities......
pneumatism
pneumatism, in medicine, Alexandrian medical school, or sect, based on the theory that life is associated with......
pneumoencephalography
pneumoencephalography, technique of diagnostic radiology that produces X-ray films of the head after injection......
podiatry
podiatry, medical specialty dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the human foot.......
polio vaccine
polio vaccine, preparation of poliovirus given to prevent polio, an infectious disease of the nervous system. The......
polymerase chain reaction
polymerase chain reaction ( PCR), a technique used to make numerous copies of a specific segment of DNA quickly......
polymyxin
polymyxin, any of five polypeptide antibiotics derived from various species of soil bacterium in the genus Bacillus......
polyuria
polyuria, daily output of an excessive amount of urine. In humans, polyuria involves the output of more than three......
positron emission tomography
positron emission tomography (PET), imaging technique used in diagnosis and biomedical research. It has proved......
pre-exposure prophylaxis
pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), medication taken prior to having unprotected sex or sharing needles that helps......
preconception testing
preconception testing, any of several screening and diagnostic procedures that provide information about the health......
pregnancy test
pregnancy test, procedure aimed at determining whether a woman is pregnant. Pregnancy tests are based on a detectable......
preimplantation genetic diagnosis
preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), the testing of embryos produced through in vitro fertilization (IVF) for......
prenatal testing
prenatal testing, any of several screening and diagnostic procedures that provide information on the health of......
Presidential Apology for the Study at Tuskegee
On May 16, 1997, in the East Room of the White House, President Bill Clinton issued a formal apology for the Tuskegee......

Medicine Encyclopedia Articles By Title