Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «E»:
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Ergotism
Ergotism: Ergotism could be called a "cereal killer" for its cause, ergot, comes from cereals such as rye and wheat and is quite capable of killing someone. A fungus (Claviceps purpurea) that contaminates rye and wheat produces substances (alkaloids) termed ergotamines.
Ergotamines constrict blood v...
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ERISA
ERISA: Employment Retirement Income Security Act. A US law enacted in 1974 which set up the ground rules for pension and retirement plans and, in so doing, prohibited states from regulating these plans. Most health plans in the US are covered by ERISA, and therefore these health plans are exempt fro...
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Erosion
Erosion: An erosion is an eating away of a surface. ("Erodere" in Latin means to eat out.)
For example, a skin erosion is a loss of part or all of the epidermis (the outer layer) leaving a denuded surface.
For another example, tooth erosion is a gradual loss of the normally hard surface of the toot...
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Erotic jealousy syndrome
Erotic jealousy syndrome: See: Othello syndrome....
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Erotomania
Erotomania: The false but persistent belief that one is loved by a person (often a famous or prominent person), or the pathologically obsessive pursuit of a disinterested object of love.
Erotomania can be a symptom
of schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders that are
characterized by delusion...
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Error of the first kind
Error of the first kind: See: Error, alpha....
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Error of the second kind
Error of the second kind: See: Error, beta....
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Error, alpha
Error, alpha: The statistical error (said to be "of the first
kind" or type I) made in testing an hypothesis when it is concluded that a treatment
or intervention is effective when it really is not. Sometimes referred to as a false
positive....
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Error, beta
Error, beta: The statistical error (said to be "of the second
kind" or type II) made in testing an hypothesis when it is concluded that a treatment
or intervention is not effective when it really is. Sometimes referred to as a false
negative....
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Error, type I
Error, type I: See: Error, alpha....
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Error, type II
Error, type II: See: Error, beta....
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Errors of metabolism, inborn
Errors of metabolism, inborn: Heritable (genetic)
disorders of biochemistry. Examples of inborn errors of metabolism
include albinism, cystinuria (a cause of kidney stones),
phenylketonuria (PKU), and some forms of gout, sun sensitivity, and
thyroid disease. These are only a very few of the hun...
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ERT (estrogen replacement therapy)
ERT (estrogen replacement therapy)
or estrogen therapy (ET): a form of therapy with estrogen hormones most
commonly used to treat the symptoms of menopause. It reduces or stops the
short-term changes of menopause such as hot flashes, disturbed sleep, and
vaginal dryness. Estrogen
replacement t...
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Eructation
Eructation: Better known as burping or belching. Casting up wind (expelling air) from the stomach through the mouth....
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Eruption, bather's
Eruption, bather's: An intensely itchy rash due to contact with the tiny thimble jellyfish (Linuche unguiculata).
These jellyfish are common between March and August in the waters off of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. There may be no adult jellyfish around as a warning. Th...
