Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A harmful or abnormal result. An adverse effect may be caused by administration of a medication or by exposure to a chemical and be indicated by an untoward result such as by illness or death.

In pharmacology, any unexpected or dangerous reaction to a drug. An unwanted effect caused by the administration of a drug. The onset of the adverse reaction may be sudden or develop over time. Also called an adverse drug event (ADE), adverse drug reaction (ADR), adverse effect or adverse event.

In pharmacology, any unexpected or dangerous reaction to a drug. An unwanted effect caused by the administration of a drug. The onset of the adverse reaction may be sudden or develop over time. Also called an adverse drug event (ADE), adverse drug reaction (ADR), adverse effect or adverse event.

Coming from an external source or occurring in an unusual place or manner. Not inherent, inherited or innate but rather occurring accidentally or spontaneously. When a doctor or nurse auscults (listens to) the chest or abdomen, adventitious sounds are those that are normally not heard coming from the chest or abdomen. The word “adventitious” comes from the…

The outermost connective tissue covering of any organ, vessel, or other structure. For example, the connective tissue that surrounds an artery is called the adventitia because it is considered extraneous to the artery. “Adventitia” comes from the Latin “adventicius” meaning “foreign, strange, extraneous, coming from abroad or from outside.” Other English words that stem from…

A man who is age 40 years or older at the time of conception. (There is no universally accepted definition of advanced paternal age but this criterion is often used in genetic counseling.) Advanced paternal age is associated with an increased risk of new mutations in the offspring. This risk for genetic defects does not increase dramatically…

Usually defined as age 35 or more for the mother at the time of delivery of her baby. Advanced maternal age predisposes to Down syndrome (trisomy 21). The risk of having a Down syndrome baby rises with maternal age. It essentially doubles from 1 in 725 at maternal age 32 to 1 in 365 at maternal age 35. And…

These directives pertain to treatment preferences and the designation of a surrogate decision-maker in the event that a person should become unable to make medical decisions on their own behalf. Advance directives generally fall into three categories: living will, power of attorney and health care proxy. LIVING WILL: This is a written document that specifies what types of medical…

The normal mourning that occurs when a patient or family is expecting a death. Anticipatory grief has many of the same symptoms as those experienced after a death has occurred. It includes all of the thinking, feeling, cultural, and social reactions to an expected death that are felt by the patient and family. Anticipatory grief includes depression, extreme concern for…

These directives pertain to treatment preferences and the designation of a surrogate decision-maker in the event that a person should become unable to make medical decisions on their own behalf. Advance directives generally fall into three categories: living will, power of attorney and health care proxy. LIVING WILL: This is a written document that specifies what types of medical…