Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A substance or agent that causes cancer. Related terms include the adjective “carcinogenic” and the nouns “carcinogenesis” and “carcinogenicity.” One of the best-known carcinogens is ionizing radiation. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified some 60 substances and processes as probably or definitely carcinogenic in humans. These substances and processes are divided into three…

The presence of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood. Carboxyhemoglobin, hemoglobin that has carbon monoxide bound to it, is formed in carbon monoxide poisoning, as from exhaust (such as from a car, truck, boat or generator), smoke from a fire, or tobacco smoke.

A gas which is the byproduct of cellular metabolism and which collects in the tissues, is cleared from the tissues by the blood within the veins, is carried by the hemoglobin in the red blood cells, and removed from the body via the lungs in the exhaled air. Abbreviated CO2.

Mainly sugars and starches, together constituting one of the three principal types of nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Carbohydrates can also be defined chemically as neutral compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbohydrates come in simple forms such as sugars and in complex forms such as starches and fiber. The body breaks down most…

Capsule has many meanings in medicine including the following: Derived from the diminutive of the Latin word “capsa” meaning “box”, a capsule is literally “a little box” and can refer to any encompassing structure or small container.

Abbreviation for capsules.

A tiny blood vessel that connects an arteriole (the smallest division of an artery) with a venule (the smallest division of a vein). Although tiny, the capillary plays an imortant role in the circulatory system. The walls of capillaries act as semipermeable membranes that permit the exchange of various substances, including fluids and the gases oxygen and carbon dioxide, between the blood stream…

Capillaries are the smallest of blood vessels. They serve to distribute oxygenated blood from arteries to the tissues of the body and to feed deoxygenated blood from the tissues back into the veins. The capillaries are thus a central component in the circulatory system, essentially between the arteries and the veins. When pink areas of skin are…

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS): a condition of cyclic attacks of nausea and vomiting in people who are chronic users of cannabis. The condition typically develops in people who have been using cannabis for years, and its cause is unknown. Despite the well-known effects of marijuana in reducing nausea, there is increasing evidence for these paradoxical effects on the gastrointestinal and…

Disease caused by the yeast Candida albicans. Candida albicans can cause vaginal yeast infections, diaper rash, skin rashes that emerge in moist, warm folds of skin, and thrush (white patches inside the mouth and throat). Candidiasis tends to develop when the normal balance of bacteria is upset, as sometimes occurs with the use of antibiotics. Prevention measures include the use of probiotics,…