| cardiopulmonary resuscitation | <procedure> A life saving procedure that includes the timed external compression of the anterior chest wall (to stimulate blood flow) by pumping the heart, and alternating with mouth to mouth breathing to provide oxygen. Usually administered by one rescuer as 15 chest compressions to every 2 mouth-to-mouth breaths. In the case of an early heart attack, death can often be avoided if a bystander starts CPR promptly (within 5 minutes of the onset of ventricular fibrillation). When paramedics arrive, medications and/or electrical shock (cardioversion) to the heart can be administered to convert ventricular fibrillation to a normal heart rhythm. Therefore, prompt CPR and rapid paramedic respronse can improve the survival chances from a heart attack. Acronym: CPR (20 Jun 2000) |
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| resuscitation | <procedure> The restoration to life or consciousness of one apparently dead, it includes such measures as artificial respiration and cardiac massage. Origin: L. Resuscitare = to revive (18 Nov 1997) |
| resuscitation orders | Instructions issued by a physician pertaining to the institution, continuation, or withdrawal of life support measures. The concept includes policies, laws, statutes, decisions, guidelines, and discussions that may affect the issuance of such orders. (12 Dec 1998) |
| mouth-to-mouth resuscitation | Mouth-to-mouth respiration employed as part of emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acupuncture therapy | Treatment of disease by inserting needles along specific pathways or meridians. The placement varies with the disease being treated. Heat or moxibustion and acupressure may be used in conjunction. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adjuvant therapy | <oncology, pharmacology> Treatment that is added to increase the effectiveness of a primary treatment. In cancer, adjuvant treatment usually refers to chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or radiation therapy after surgery to increase the likelihood of killing all cancer cells. (14 May 1997) |
| alternative therapy | A term given to nonconventional therapy usually given by persons who do not have a medical qualification. (16 Dec 1997) |
| analytic therapy | Short term for psychoanalytic therapy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Antibody Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy | <pharmacology> A method for targeting a drug to a specific tissue, in which the targeting agent and the drug are administered separately. The drug is designed to be inactive (a prodrug) until it is converted by an enzyme, which is the targeting agent. The enzyme is coupled to an antibody that directs it to the tissue of interest. When the enzyme arrives at the tissue, the prodrug is activated only at that site, sparing other tissues from potentially toxic side effects. Acronym: ADEPT (14 Nov 1997) |
| anticoagulant therapy | The use of anticoagulant drugs to reduce or prevent intravascular or intracardiac clotting. (05 Mar 2000) |
| antisense therapy | Use of antisense DNA for the inhibition of translation of a specific gene product for therapeutic purposes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| art therapy | The use of art as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of neurological, mental, or behavioural disorders. (12 Dec 1998) |
| autoserum therapy | Therapy with serum obtained from the patient's own blood. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aversion therapy | <psychology> A form of behaviour therapy that pairs an unpleasant stimulus with undesirable behaviour(s) so that the patient learns to avoid the latter. See: aversive training. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aversive therapy | <psychology> A treatment that suppresses undesirable behaviour by simultaneously exposing the subject to unpleasant consequences. (12 Dec 1998) |