| relative specificity | The specificity of a medical screening test as determined by comparison with the same type of test (e.g., specificity of a new serological test relative to specificity of an established serological test). (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| relative value scales | Coded listings of physician or other professional services using units that indicate the relative value of the various services they perform. They take into account time, skill, and overhead cost required for each service, but generally do not consider the relative cost-effectiveness. Appropriate conversion factors can be used to translate the abstract units of the relative value scales into dollar fees for each service based on work expended, practice costs, and training costs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| relative viscosity | The ratio of the viscosity of a solution or dispersion to the viscosity of the solvent or continuous phase. (05 Mar 2000) |
| 5-year relative survival rate | <statistics> The likelihood that a patient will not die from causes associated with his or her cancer for at least 5 years after diagnosis. This is the standard many professionals use when determining someone a survivor of cancer. (16 Dec 1997) |
| acute adrenocortical insufficiency | Severe adrenocortical insufficiency when an intercurrent illness or trauma causes an increased demand for adrenocortical hormones in a patient with adrenal insufficiency due to disease or use of relatively large amounts of similar hormones as therapy; characterised by nausea, vomiting, hypotension, and frequently hyperthemia, hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, and hypoglycaemia; can be fatal if untreated. Synonym: addisonian crisis, adrenal crisis, Bernard-Sergent syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adrenal gland insufficiency | <endocrinology> A condition that results from the inadequate production of adrenal hormones (see Addison's disease). (27 Sep 1997) |
| adrenal insufficiency | <endocrinology> A condition that results from the inadequate production of adrenal hormones (see Addison's disease). (27 Sep 1997) |
| adrenocortical insufficiency | Loss, to varying degrees, of adrenocortical function. Synonym: hypocorticoidism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aortic insufficiency | A congenital or acquired heart valve abnormality that results in the abnormal back flow of blood in the aorta, through an incompetent aortic valve and into the left ventricle. Chronic aortic insufficiency leads to enlargement of the left ventricle and pulmonary congestion. If left uncorrected, congestive heart failure will result. Aortic valve replacement is eventually necessary in most cases of significant valvular incompetence. (27 Sep 1997) |
| aortic valve insufficiency | Backflow of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle, owing to imperfect functioning of the aortic semilunar valve. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cardiac insufficiency | A condition where there is ineffective pumping of the heart leading to an accumulation of fluid in the lungs. Typical symptoms include shortness of breath with exertion, difficulty breathing when lying flat and leg or ankle swelling. Causes include chronic hypertension, cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction. (27 Sep 1997) |
| pancreatic insufficiency | Not enough of the digestive enzymes normally secreted by the pancreas into the intestine. Pancreatic insufficiency is a hallmark of cystic fibrosis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| velopharyngeal insufficiency | Failure of the soft palate to reach the posterior pharyngeal wall. It may be caused by cleft palate surgery, palatal or pharyngeal abnormalities or injury, or neuromuscular dysfunction of the velopharyngeal sphincter. It causes hypernasality of speech. (12 Dec 1998) |
| venous insufficiency | <cardiology, surgery> A condition in which the vein do not channel the flow of blood adequately. most often this condition is seen in the veins of the lower extremities. Symptoms include leg swelling, leg pain and muscle cramps. This condition can predispose to venous thrombosis. (12 Jan 1998) |
| parathyroid insufficiency | <endocrinology> A term which describes the abnormally low production of parathyroid hormone by the parathyroid glands. Hypoparathyroidism may be congenital or occur in association with another disorder (autoimmune disease, haemochromatosis). Common symptoms are those of low blood calcium: muscle spasms, tetany, facial grimacing, laryngeal spasm and seizures. (11 Jan 1998) |