Medicine, MEL-PER
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.
Medicine Encyclopedia Articles By Title
melarsoprol, antiprotozoal drug formerly used in the treatment of late-stage African trypanosomiasis (sleeping......
meldonium, drug used to protect against tissue damage caused by ischemia—a reduction in blood flow to a part of......
Menninger family, American physicians who pioneered methods of psychiatric treatment in the 20th century. Charles......
meperidine, synthetic drug used in the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is an opioid analgesic, and thus......
meprobamate, drug used in the treatment of anxiety. A central nervous system depressant, meprobamate acts selectively......
merbromin, antiseptic used to prevent infection in small cuts and abrasions. Commonly marketed as Mercurochrome,......
mescaline, naturally occurring alkaloid, the active principle contained in the flowering heads of the peyote cactus......
methadone, potent synthetic narcotic drug, among the most effective agents used in medication-assisted treatment......
methamphetamine, potent and addictive synthetic stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system (the spinal......
methaqualone, sedative-hypnotic drug that was historically used in the treatment of insomnia and anxiety and that......
methicillin, antibiotic formerly used in the treatment of bacterial infections caused by organisms of the genus......
methotrexate, drug used to slow the growth of certain cancers, including leukemia, breast cancer, and lung cancer.......
microarray, laboratory technique used in the study and analysis of biological molecules, particularly DNA and proteins,......
microsurgery, the specialized surgical technique of observing through a compound microscope when operating on minute......
midazolam, drug used to induce general anesthesia, to reduce anxiety during medical procedures, and to treat acute......
midwifery, care of women in pregnancy, childbirth (parturition), and the postpartum period that often also includes......
mifepristone, synthetic steroid drug used under various trade names (e.g., RU-486, Mifegyne, Mifeprex) to induce......
minoxidil, medication that is used to treat both high blood pressure (hypertension) and baldness. Minoxidil is......
Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan, legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (5–4), on July 1, 1982,......
MMR vaccine, suspension containing live, weakened versions of the viruses that cause three diseases: mumps, measles,......
Moderna, Inc. is a biotechnology company specializing in messenger RNA (mRNA) medicines and is best known for developing......
monoclonal antibody, antibody produced artificially through genetic engineering and related techniques. Production......
morphine, narcotic analgesic drug used in medicine in the form of its hydrochloride, sulfate, acetate, and tartrate......
moxibustion, traditional medical practice that originated in China and thence spread to Japan and other Asian countries.......
mRNA vaccine, type of vaccine that uses a synthetic version of a molecule known as messenger RNA (mRNA) to instruct......
mucosal protective agent, any drug that protects the mucosal lining of the stomach from acidic gastric juices.......
music therapy, clinical discipline in which music is used to address nonmusical goals. Therapists use music listening,......
MYCIN, an early expert system, or artificial intelligence (AI) program, for treating blood infections. In 1972......
myelography, medical procedure for examining the spinal cord by means of X rays. It is especially useful in diagnosing......
myocardial perfusion imaging, medical procedure that uses radioactive tracers, primarily thallium, to detect abnormalities......
naloxone, drug used to relieve potentially fatal respiratory depression caused by opioid overdose. Naloxone is......
narcotic, drug that produces analgesia (pain relief), narcosis (state of stupor or sleep), and addiction (physical......
nasopharyngolaryngoscopy, diagnostic medical procedure that uses a flexible fibre-optic endoscope to visualize......
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), in the United States, allowable levels of harmful air pollutants......
National Health Service (NHS), in Great Britain, a comprehensive public-health service under government administration,......
nephrology, branch of medicine concerned with the study of kidney functions and the treatment of kidney diseases.......
neural engineering, in biomedicine, discipline in which engineering technologies and mathematical and computational......
neurofeedback, form of therapy in which the brain’s electrical activity is assessed and measured to help correct......
neurology, medical specialty concerned with the nervous system and its functional or organic disorders. Neurologists......
neuropsychiatry, area of science and medicine focused on the integrated study of psychiatric and neurological conditions......
niacin, water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. It is also called the pellagra-preventive vitamin because an adequate......
nicotine, an organic compound that is the principal alkaloid of tobacco. (An alkaloid is one of a group of nitrogenous......
nitroglycerin, a powerful explosive and an important ingredient of most forms of dynamite. It is also used with......
nitromersol, synthetic mercury-containing organic compound used as an antiseptic for the skin and mucous membranes......
nondirective psychotherapy, an approach to the treatment of mental disorders that aims primarily toward fostering......
notifiable disease, any of various health conditions that, upon detection, are required to be reported to public......
Novartis AG, Swiss company that is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of pharmaceuticals. It was formed in......
Novo Nordisk A/S is an international pharmaceutical research, development, and manufacturing corporation established......
NSAID, drug that reduces inflammation and is effective against pain (see analgesic) and fever. Most NSAIDs are......
nuclear medicine, medical specialty that involves the use of radioactive isotopes in the diagnosis and treatment......
nuclear transfer, the introduction of the nucleus from a cell into an enucleated egg cell (an egg cell that has......
nurse practitioner (NP), nonphysician clinician who is a nurse with a graduate degree in advanced-practice nursing.......
nursing, profession that assumes responsibility for the continuous care of the sick, the injured, the disabled,......
nursing home, facility for care (usually long-term) of patients who are not sick enough to need hospital care but......
obstetrics and gynecology, medical/surgical specialty concerned with the care of women from pregnancy until after......
occupational disease, any illness associated with a particular occupation or industry. Such diseases result from......
occupational medicine, the branch of medicine concerned with the maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment......
occupational therapy, use of self-care and work and play activities to promote and maintain health, prevent disability,......
omalizumab, monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of moderate to severe allergic asthma, chronic spontaneous......
open-heart surgery, any surgical procedure that requires an incision into the heart, thus exposing one or more......
ophthalmology, medical specialty dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the eye.......
ophthalmoscope, instrument for inspecting the interior of the eye. The ophthalmoscope generally is considered to......
opioid, class of drugs derived from substances that occur naturally in the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) and......
opium, narcotic drug that is obtained from the unripe seedpods of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), a plant......
optogenetics, experimental method in biological research involving the combination of optics and genetics in technologies......
Developed in the early 2000s, optogenetics—the combined use of genetic and optical (light) methods to control genes......
optometry, health-care profession concerned with examining the eyes for defects of vision and diagnosing and treating......
oral and maxillofacial surgery, dental specialty that deals with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of the diseases,......
oral contraceptive, any of a class of synthetic steroid hormones that suppress the release of follicle-stimulating......
oral rehydration therapy (ORT), treatment consisting of a salt-and-sugar-based solution taken orally to treat dehydration......
Oregon Health and Science University, public, coeducational institution of higher learning in Portland, Oregon,......
organ donation, the act of giving one or more organs (or parts thereof), without compensation, for transplantation......
orthodontics, division of dentistry dealing with the prevention and correction of irregularities of the teeth—generally......
orthopedics, medical specialty concerned with the preservation and restoration of function of the skeletal system......
oseltamivir, antiviral drug that is active against both influenza type A and influenza type B viruses. Oseltamivir......
osteopathy, health care profession that emphasizes the relationship between the musculoskeletal structure and organ......
ostomy, (from Latin ostium, “mouth”), any procedure in which an artificial stoma, or opening, is surgically created;......
otolaryngology, medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, nose, and......
oxaliplatin, platinum-based chemotherapy drug used primarily to treat colorectal cancer. Oxaliplatin often is used......
oxazolidinone, class of synthetic antibiotics defined chemically by a heterocyclic ring structure that contains......
oxycodone, semisynthetic drug with potent pain-relieving effects that is derived from thebaine, an alkaloid that......
oxygen therapy, in medicine, the administration of oxygen. Oxygen therapy is used for acute conditions, in which......
pacemaker, electronic cardiac-support device that produces rhythmic electrical impulses that take over the regulation......
palliative care, form of health care that seeks to improve the quality of life of patients with terminal disease......
palpation, medical diagnostic examination with the hands to discover internal abnormalities. By palpation the physician......
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), organization founded in December 1902 to improve health conditions in......
Pap smear, laboratory method of obtaining secretions from the cervix for the examination of cast-off epithelial......
paraldehyde, colourless liquid of disagreeable taste and pungent odour used in medicine as a sedative–hypnotic......
paramedical personnel, health-care workers who provide clinical services to patients under the supervision of a......
paregoric, preparation principally used in the treatment of diarrhea. Paregoric, which decreases movement of the......
patch test, controlled application of biological or chemical substances to the skin in order to detect if the subject......
pathology, medical specialty concerned with the determining causes of disease and the structural and functional......
PCP, hallucinogenic drug with anesthetic properties, having the chemical name 1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)piperidine.......
PDE-5 inhibitor, category of drugs that relieve erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men. Two common commercially......
pediatrics, medical specialty dealing with the development and care of children and with the diagnosis and treatment......
pedodontics, dental specialty that deals with the care of children’s teeth. The pedodontist is extensively concerned......
penicillin, one of the first and still one of the most widely used antibiotic agents, derived from the Penicillium......
percussion, in medicine, diagnostic procedure that entails striking the body directly or indirectly with short,......
periodontics, dental specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of functional and structural......
personalized medicine, field of medicine in which decisions concerning disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment......