Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «D»:
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Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase
Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase: An enzyme necessary to pyrimidine synthesis and therefore essential to the production of DNA and RNA. The drug leflunomide (Arava), an immunomodulatory agent, acts by specifically inhibiting dihydroorotate dehydrogenase....
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Dihydrotestosterone
Dihydrotestosterone: A byproduct of the male hormone testosterone. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is considered to be the essential androgenic hormone. DHT is responsible for the formation of male primary sex characteristics during embryonic life. It is responsible for the development of most secondary s...
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Dihydroxyacetone
Dihydroxyacetone: Also known as DHA, the active ingredient in most sunless tanning lotions. See: DHA....
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Dilatate
Dilatate: To enlarge or expand.
For example, to dilatate the eye is to enlarge the
pupil temporarily with special (mydriatic) eye drops. This procedure
allows the eye care specialist to better view the inside of the
eye.
The word "dilate" means the same thing as
"dilatate"....
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Dilatation
Dilatation: The process of enlargement or expansion.
For example, dilatation of the eye is the process by which the
pupil is temporarily enlarged with special (mydriatic) eye drops.
This allows the eye care specialist to better view the inside of the
eye.
The word
"dilation" means the...
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Dilatation and curettage
Dilatation and curettage: A minor operation in which
the cervix
is expanded enough (dilatation) to permit the cervical canal and
uterine lining to be
scraped with a curet (or curette), an instrument shaped like a
spoon. This procedure also is
called D and C....
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Dilate
Dilate: To stretch or enlarge. It comes from the Latin verb
"dilatare" meaning "to enlarge or expand."...
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Dilated cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy: A disorder in which the chambers of the heart are dilated (enlarged) because the heart muscle is weakened and cannot pump effectively. There are many causes, the most common being myocardial ischemia (not enough oxygen supplied to the heart muscle) due to coronary artery dise...
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Dilating
Dilating: The widening and opening of the cervix caused
by uterine contractions....
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Dilation
Dilation: The process of enlargement, stretching, or expansion. The word
"dilatation" means the same thing. Both come from the Latin "dilatare"
meaning "to enlarge or expand."...
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Dilation, pupil
Pupil dilation: This examination enables your eye care
professional to see more of your retina, the light-sensitive layer of
tissue at the back of your eye.
Dilating (widening) the pupil permits your eye to be examined for
signs of disease. To do this, drops are placed into the eye to dilate
(...
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Dilation, pupil (test)
Dilation, pupil (test): This
examination enables your eye
care professional to see more of your retina, the
light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of your eye.
Dilating (widening) the
pupil permits the retina to be examined for signs of disease. To do this, drops
are placed into the eye t...
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Dilator
Dilator: A device used to stretch or enlarge an opening. Patients
with scarring of the muscular tube through which food passes from the throat to the
stomach (esophagus) can require a dilator procedure in order to open the esophagus for
adequate passage of food and fluids....
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Dinucleotide
Dinucleotide: A sequence of 2 base pairs. A trinucleotide (a triplet of base pairs) may be split into a dinucleotide and a mononucleotide....
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Dioscorides
Dioscorides: Dioscorides of Anazarbus. First century
Greek physician, botanist and pharmacologist whose encyclopedia of materia medica was used for centuries after his death.
Born in southeast Asia Minor in the Roman Empire in the first few decades C.E. During his lifetime, Dioscorides traveled ex...
