Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Oral moniliasis
Yeast infection of the mouth and throat caused by a fungus formerly called Monilia, now known as Candida albicans. This infection is also known as thrush. Yeast organisms are part of the germs normally found in various parts of the body. They ordinarily do not cause any symptoms. Certain conditions, such as antibiotic use, can disturb the natural balance of microbes in the mouth and…
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Oral glucose tolerance test
A test to determine the body’s ability to handle glucose . In the test, a person fasts overnight (at least 8 but not more than 16 hours). Then first, the fasting plasma glucose is tested. After this test, the person receives 75 grams of glucose (100 grams for pregnant women). Usually, the glucose is in…
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Oral contraceptive
A birth control pill taken by mouth. Most oral contraceptives include both estrogen and progesterone. When given in certain amounts and at certain times in the menstrual cycle, these hormones prevent the ovary from releasing an egg for fertilization.
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Oral cholecystogram
Abbreviated OCG. An x-ray procedure for diagnosing gallstones. The patient takes iodine-containing tablets by mouth for one night or two nights in a row. The iodine is absorbed from the intestine into the bloodstream, removed from the blood by the liver, and excreted by the liver into the bile. The iodine, together with the bile, is highly concentrated in the gallbladder. Iodine…
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Oral
Having to do with the mouth. For example, an oral solution is a solution that is given by mouth.
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OR (abbreviation)
Stands for “operating room”. A facility equipped for performing surgery. OR is sometimes written O.R.
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Optometrist
A practitioner who provides primary eye and vision care, performs eye examinations to detect vision problems, and prescribes corrective lenses to correct those problems. Some optometrists also make and fit eyeglasses, but many leave that job to opticians. An optometrist is a doctor of optometry (OD), not an MD. When an optometrist detects eye disease, the patient…
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Opium
An addictive narcotic drug that is derived from the unripe seedpods of the opium poppy. Preparations of opium were called laudanum. Derivatives of opium include paregoric (a drug used to treat diarrhea), morphine, and heroin. For centuries, opium was used as a painkiller in the Middle East and Asia. It gained great popularity in Europe and the European colonies in the…
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Opioid
1. A synthetic narcotic that resembles the naturally occurring opiates. 2. Any substance that binds to or otherwise affects the opiate receptors on the surface of the cell.
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Opiate
A medication or an illegal drug that is derived from the opium poppy. Opiates are narcotic sedatives that depress activity of the central nervous system, reduce pain, and induce sleep. Codeine, morphine, and heroin are examples of opiates. In contrast, the term opioid is a broader term that originally was used to refer to any substance, natural (such as opiates) or synthetic, that bind to…
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