| catarrhal asthma | Asthma precipitated by bronchitis. Synonym: catarrhal asthma. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| catarrhal fever | Old term for the group of respiratory tract diseases including the common cold, influenza, and lobular and lobar pneumonia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| catarrhal gastritis | Gastritis with excessive secretion of mucus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| catarrhal inflammation | An inflammatory process that is most frequent in the respiratory tract, but may occur in any mucous membrane, and is characterised by hyperaemia of the mucosal vessels, oedema of the interstitial tissue, enlargement of the secretory epithelial cells (which proliferate and form conspicuous globules of mucus), and an irregular layer of viscous, mucinous material on the surface; as exudation progresses, variable numbers of neutrophils migrate into the affected tissue and are included in the exudate, along with fragments of degenerated and necrotic epithelial cells; such an inflammation may frequently become mucopurulent. (05 Mar 2000) |
| catarrhal jaundice | An obsolete term for viral hepatitis type A. (05 Mar 2000) |
| catarrhal ophthalmia | A mild form of conjunctivitis with mucopurulent secretion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Catarrhina | A genus of Old World monkeys in the superfamily Cercopithecoidea. Origin: kata-+ G. Rhis (rhin-), nose (05 Mar 2000) |
| catarrhine | Relating to the Catarrhina. (05 Mar 2000) |
| catastalsis | A contraction wave resembling ordinary peristalsis but not preceded by a zone of inhibition. Origin: G. Kata-stello, to put in order, check (05 Mar 2000) |
| catastaltic | 1. Inhibitory, restricting, or restraining. 2. An inhibitory or checking agent, such as an astringent or antispasmodic. Origin: cata-+ G. Staltos, contracted, fr. Stello, to contract (05 Mar 2000) |
| catastasis | 1. A condition or state. 2. Restoration to a normal condition or a normal place. Origin: G. (05 Mar 2000) |
| catastrophe theory | A branch of mathematics dealing with large changes in the total system that may result from a small change in a critical variable in the system; an example is the change in the physical properties of H2O as the temperature reaches zero or 100 |
| catastrophic illness | An acute or prolonged illness usually considered to be life-threatening or with the threat of serious residual disability. Treatment may be radical and is frequently costly. (12 Dec 1998) |
| catastrophic reaction | The disorganised behaviour that is the response to a severe shock or threatening situation with which the person cannot cope. (05 Mar 2000) |
| catatonia | <neurology, psychiatry> A syndrome of psychomotor disturbances seen in schizophrenic disorders characterised by periods of either muscular rigidity, excitement or stupor. (16 Mar 1998) |