Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «D»:
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Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia: A specific developmental disability
affecting a person's ability to conceptualize and perform
mathematics. Mild cases can often be compensated for with
use of a calculator, but those with severe dyscalculia will
need special education services....
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Dyscrasia
Dyscrasia: Any disease condition, especially in hematology, as in "blood dyscrasias." The term "dyscrasia" was borrowed from the Greek meaning "a bad mixture" referring to imbalance between the four humors which caused disease....
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Dysentery
Dysentery: Inflammation of the
intestine, often with pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, etc. It is
usually caused by infestation of the bowel by an ameba. Dysentery can
be fatal, usually due to severe dehydration. Treatment includes
rapid rehydration, sometimes via IV, and medication.
From the Gree...
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Dysentery, amebic
Dysentery, amebic: Dysentery
(inflammation of the intestine) with ulcers in the colon due to infection
with an ameba (Entamoeba
histolytica).
This single-celled parasite is transmitted
to humans via contaminated water and food. Amebic dysentery can be
accompanied by amebic infection of the li...
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Dysfunction
Dysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function.
There is, for example:
Constitutional hepatic dysfunction, (familial nonhemolytic jaundice),
Dental dysfunction (abnormal functioning of dental structures),
Minimal brain dysfunction (attention deficit disorder),
Placental dysfunction (dysmatur...
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Dysfunction, erectile
Dysfunction, erectile: A consistent inability to
sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. Also commonly
known as
"impotence." Medically, the term "erectile
dysfunction" is used to
differentiate impotence from other problems that interfere with
sexual intercourse ...
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Dysfunction, orgasmic
Dysfunction, orgasmic: See: Anorgasmia....
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Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia: A specific developmental disability
that affects the person's ability to write. Problems may
include fine-motor muscle control of the hands and/or
processing difficulties. Sometimes occupational therapy is
helpful. Most successful students with dysgraphia that does
not respond to oc...
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Dyshidrotic eczema
Dyshidrotic eczema: Irritation of the skin on the palms of hands and soles of the feet characterized by clear, deep blisters that itch and burn....
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Dyskeratosis congenita
Dyskeratosis congenita: An inherited cause of bone-marrow failure, dyskeratosis congenita is a syndrome characterized by abnormal excess skin pigmentation, abnormal or absent nails, and mucosal leukoplakia (white premalignant areas on the lips and conjunctiva of the eyes and in the mouth, anus, and ...
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Dyskinesia
Dyskinesia: Difficulty or distortion in performing voluntary movements, as in tic, chorea, spasm, or myoclonus. The term dyskinesia may be used in relation to Parkinson's disease and other extrapyramidal disorders. Dyskinesia can occur as a side effect of certain medications such as L-dopa and the a...
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Dyslexia
Dyslexia: A specific reading
disability due to a defect in the brain's processing of graphic symbols. Dyslexia
is a learning disability that alters
the way the brain processes written material.
Two commonly held beliefs about dyslexia are that children with it are prone to seeing...
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Dyslipidemia
Dyslipidemia: A disorder of lipoprotein metabolism, including lipoprotein overproduction or deficiency. Dyslipidemias may be manifested by elevation of the total cholesterol, the "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and the triglyceride concentrations, and a decrease in the "good" high-de...
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Dysmetabolic syndrome X
Dysmetabolic syndrome X: A constellation of metabolic abnormalities in serum or plasma insulin/glucose level ratios, lipids (triglycerides, LDL cholesterol subtypes and/or HDL cholesterol), uric acid levels, coagulation factor imbalances and vascular physiology. (This is the official definition by t...
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Dysmorphic feature
Dysmorphic feature: A body characteristic that is
abnormally formed. A malformed ear, for example, is a dysmorphic
feature.
Dysmorphology is a term coined by Dr. David W. Smith in the 1960's
to describe the study of human congenital malformations (birth
defects), particularly those affecting the...