Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «S»:
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SSPE
SSPE: Subacute sclerosing
panencephalitis, a chronic brain disease of children and
adolescents that occurs months to often years after an
attack of measles, causing convulsions, motor
abnormalities, mental retardation and, usually, death.
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SSRI
SSRI: Abbreviation for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly prescribed drugs for treating depression. SSRIs affect the chemicals that nerves in the brain use to send messages to one another. These chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, are released by one nerve and taken up by o...
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St John's wort
St John's wort: A flowering plant, Hypericum perforatum, also known as Perforate St John's wort, that has long been believed to have medicinal qualities.
There is, in fact, some evidence that St John's wort may possibly be useful in diminishing depression. K Linde and coworkers reviewed 23 published...
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St. Anthony's fire
St. Anthony's fire: The intensely painful burning sensation in the limbs and extremities caused by ergot, the consequence of a fungus (Claviceps purpurea) that contaminates rye and wheat.
The fungus produces substances (alkaloids) termed ergotamines that constrict blood vessels and cause the muscle ...
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St. Joseph Moscati
St. Joseph Moscati: See: Moscati, St. Joseph....
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St. Louis encephalitis
St. Louis encephalitis: A disease caused by a virus (first observed in Illinois in 1932) transmitted from birds to the common Culex mosquito to people. St. Louis encephalitis occurs typically in the summer and early fall. In the U.S., the virus is rarely found outside the Southeast.
Signs and symp...
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St. Vitus dance
St. Vitus dance: Another name for Sydenham chorea.
St. Vitus is the patron saint of epileptics, dancers, and actors....
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Stachybotrys
Stachybotrys: An antigenic green-black mold that grows on wood, paper
and cotton products provided there is constant moisture. Stachybotrys can
produce toxic chemicals called mycotoxins that are present on spores and small
fragments of the fungus released into the air. Some people have a reaction...
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Staff of Aesculapius
Staff of Aesculapius: A rod or stick with the snake curled
around it is the staff (the
rod) of Aesculapius (also called Asklepios or Asclepius), the ancient
god of medicine.
His Greek name was Asklepios and his Roman name
Aesculapius.
In reality,
Asklepios may have been a real person who was ren...
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Stage
Stage: As regards cancer, the extent of a
cancer, especially whether the disease has spread from the original site to other parts of the body. See also: Staging....
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Stage of dilatation
Stage of dilatation: The part of labor when the cervix dilates fully
(to 10 centimeters). Also called the first stage of labor....
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Stage of expulsion
Stage of expulsion: See: Second stage of labor....
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Staging
Staging: In regard to cancer, the process of doing examinations and tests to learn the extent of the cancer, especially whether it has metastasized (spread) from its original site to other parts of the body....
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Staging, laparoscopic
Staging, laparoscopic: See: Laparoscopic staging....
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Stain, Gram
Stain, Gram: The Danish bacteriologist J.M.C. Gram (1853-
1938) devised a method of staining bacteria using a dye called
crystal (gentian) violet. Gram's method helps distinguish between
different types of bacteria.
The gram-staining characteristics of bacteria are denoted as
positive or negativ...
