Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «P»:
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Pancreatic islet cell carcinoma
Pancreatic islet cell carcinoma: See: Islet cell cancer....
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Pancreatic juices
Pancreatic juices: Fluids made by the pancreas that
contain digestive enzymes.
The pancreas is a spongy, tube-shaped organ about
6 inches long. It is located in the back of the abdomen, behind the
stomach. The head of the pancreas is on the right side of the
abdomen. It is connected to the duod...
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Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas. Of the
many diverse causes of pancreatitis, the most common are alcohol and
gallstones.
The pancreas is a spongy, tube-shaped organ about
6 inches long. It is located in the back of the abdomen, behind the
stomach. The head of the pancreas is on th...
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Pancreatitis, acute
Pancreatitis, acute: See: Acute pancreatitis....
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Pancreozymin
Pancreozymin: See: Cholecystokinin....
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Pancytopenia
Pancytopenia: A shortage of
all types of blood
cells, including red and white blood cells as well as platelets.
...
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Pancytopenia, Fanconi
Pancytopenia, Fanconi: See Fanconi anemia....
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PANDAS
PANDAS: An acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Disorders Associated with Strep.
PANDAS is the sudden onset of symptoms like those of obsessive-compulsive disorder or Tourette syndrome following infection with streptococcus bacteria, caused by an autoimmune reaction that affects the basal ganglia in ...
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Pandemic
Pandemic: An epidemic (a sudden outbreak) that
becomes very widespread and affects a whole region, a continent, or
the world.
By contrast:
An epidemic affects more than the expected number of
cases of disease occurring in a community or region during a
given period of time. A sudden severe outb...
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Pandiculation
Pandiculation: The act of stretching and yawning. (If you are in a public place, you might consider demonstrating the versatility of your vocabulary by saying: "Sorry, but I feel the need to pandiculate."). See also: Yawn....
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Panencephalitis, subacute sclerosing (SSPE)
Panencephalitis, subacute sclerosing
(SSPE): 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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Panic
Panic: A sudden strong feeling of fear that prevents reasonable thought or action.
From the Greek woodland god Pan who was a frightening figure, part human, part goat, and whose pet caprice was to terrify people who ventured into rural areas, particularly at night....
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Panic disorder
Panic disorder: A disorder characterized by
sudden attacks of fear and panic. The episodes may resemble a heart attack. They may strike at any time and occur without a
known reason but more frequently are triggered by specific events or thoughts, such as taking an elevator or driving. The attacks ...
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Panmixus
Panmixus: Random mating....
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Pantothenic acid
Pantothenic acid: Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5, one of the less well known B vitamins, perhaps because it is widely distributed in nature.
Pantothenic acid is virtually ubiquitous. It is present in foods as diverse as poultry, soybeans, yogurt, and sweet potatoes.
No naturally occurring disease du...
