| APC | acetylsalicylic acid, phenacetin, and caffeine; activated protein C; adenoidal-pharyngeal-conjunctiv... |
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| CCA | cephalin cholesterol antigen; chick cell agglutination; chimpanzee coryza agent; choriocarcinoma; ci... |
| CHINA | chronic infectious neurotropic agent |
| CJA | Creutzfeldt-Jakob agent |
| ELA | elastase; elastomer-lubricating agent; endotoxin-like activity |
| toxic shock syndrome | <syndrome> A blood-borne bacterial infection caused by the genus Staphylococcus. Usually effects menstruating females under the age of thirty and was associated in the past with the use of a particular type of tampon (no longer used). Common symptoms include: fever, chills, vomiting, sore throat, headache and decreased urine output. Progression of disease can result in lowering of blood pressure (shock) and renal failure. Treatment includes hospitalisation and intravenous antibiotics emergently. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| toxic substances | A chemical or mixture of chemicals that presents a high risk of injury to human health or to the environment. (05 Dec 1998) |
| toxic tetanus | Tonic spasms caused by strychnine or other tetanic. Synonym: toxic tetanus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| toxic unit | A unit formerly synonymous with minimal lethal dose but which, because of the instability of toxins, is now measured in terms of the quantity of standard antitoxin with which the toxin combines. See: L doses, minimal lethal dose. Synonym: toxin unit. (05 Mar 2000) |
| epidermal necrolysis, toxic | An exfoliative disease of skin seen primarily in adults and characterised by flaccid bullae and spreading erythema so that the skin has the appearance of being scalded. It results primarily from a toxic reaction to various drugs, but occasionally occurs as a result of infection, neoplastic conditions, or other exposure. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adrenergic blocking agent | A compound that selectively blocks or inhibits responses to sympathetic adrenergic nerve activity (sympatholytic agent) and to epinephrine, norepinephrine, and other adrenergic amines (adrenolytic agent); two distinct classes exist, alpha-and beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agent's. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adrenergic neuronal blocking agent | A drug that prevents the release of norepinephrine from sympathetic nerve terminals; it does not inhibit the responses of the adrenergic receptors to circulating epinephrine, norepinephrine, and other adrenergic amines. (05 Mar 2000) |
| agent | <pharmacology> Any power, principle or substance capable of producing an effect, whether physical, chemical or biological. Origin: L. Agens = acting (18 Nov 1997) |
| agent, antihypertensive | As the name suggests, a drug aimed at reducing high blood pressure (hypertension). (12 Dec 1998) |
| agent, anti-infective | Something capable of acting against infection, by inhibiting the spread of an infectious agent or by killing the infectious agent outright. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Agent Orange | An herbicide and defoliant, consisting of (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)acetic acid, (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid, and dioxin, that was widely used in the Vietnam War; it has been shown to possess residual post-exposure carcinogenic and teratogenic properties in humans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| agent, tocolytic | A medication that can inhibit labour, slow down or halt the contractions of the uterus. Tocolytic agents are widely used today to treat premature labour and permit pregnancy to procede and so let the foetus gain in size and maturity before being born. (12 Dec 1998) |
| alkylating agent | <oncology, pharmacology> A reagent that places an alkyl group, for example propyl in place of a nucleophilic group in a molecule. Alkylating reagents include a number of cytotoxic drugs some of which react fairly specifically with N7 of the purine ring and lead to depurination of DNA, for example the agent ethyl ethanesulphonic acid and thus to mutagenesis. The drugs interaction with DNAand prevents the division of the cells. Examples of drugs include: busulphan, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, melphalan. (29 Sep 1997) |
| alpha-adrenergic blocking agent | An agent that competitively blocks alpha-adrenergic receptors; used in the treatment of hypertension. Synonym: alpha-blocker. (05 Mar 2000) |
| antianxiety agent | A functional category of drugs useful in the treatment of anxiety and able to reduce anxiety at doses which do not cause excessive sedation (e.g., diazepam). Synonym: anxiolytic, minor tranquilliser. (05 Mar 2000) |