Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Use of substances containing steroids to increase muscle mass. Steroids can have many side effects when misused, including psychiatric problems, liver tumors, reduction in the size of male genitals, sterility, and heart damage.

One of a large group of chemical substances classified by a specific carbon structure. Steroids include drugs used to relieve swelling and inflammation, such as prednisone and cortisone; vitamin D; and some sex hormones, such as testosterone and estradiol.

Sneezing; the sound of sneezing. When we sneeze, air is expelled with force from the nose (and from the mouth, if it is open) due to a spasmodic contraction of the chest muscles and diaphragm. A sneeze is often triggered by irritation of the mucous membrane of the nose or less often by a bright light striking the…

The long flat bone in the upper middle of the front of the chest. The sternum articulates (comes together) with the cartilages of the first seven ribs and with the clavicle (collarbone) on either side. The sternum consists of three parts: the manubrium (the upper segment of the sternum, a flattened, roughly triangular bone), the corpus (body) of the…

Referring to precise positioning in three-dimensional space. For example, biopsies, surgery, or radiation therapy can be done stereotactically.

Narrowed, as in a stenotic artery. From the Greek “stenos” meaning narrow.

A narrowing. For example, aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve in the heart.

An epileptic seizure that lasts more than 30 minutes; a constant or near-constant state of having seizures. Status epilepticus is a health crisis, and requires immediate treatment.

A class of drugs that lower cholesterol. The statin drugs on the market in the US include: The statins lower LDL-cholesterol levels, and they lower LDL-cholesterol more than other types of drugs. Statins inhibit an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase that controls the rate of cholesterol production in the body. These drugs lower cholesterol by slowing down the production of…

A common medical abbreviation for urgent or rush. From the Latin word statim, meaning “immediately.”