Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «I»:
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Insulin pump
Insulin pump: A pump for delivering insulin in order to achieve tight blood sugar control and lifestyle flexibility while minimizing the effects of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). The pump is composed of a pump reservoir similar to that of an insulin cartridge, a battery-operated pump, and a compute...
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Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance: The diminished ability of cells to respond to the action of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into muscle and other tissues. Insulin resistance typically develops with obesity and heralds the onset of type 2 diabetes. It is as if insulin is "knocking" o...
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Insulin resistance syndrome
Insulin resistance syndrome: See: Metabolic syndrome....
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Insulin-dependent diabetes
Insulin-dependent diabetes: See Diabetes, type 1....
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Insulinoma
Insulinoma: A tumor of the beta cells in areas of the pancreas called the islets of Langerhans. Although not usually cancerous, such tumors may cause the body to make extra insulin and may lead to hypoglycemia, a blood glucose (sugar) level that is too low....
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Integrin
Integrin: One of a large and very important family of adhesion molecules that promote stable interactions between cells and their environment. The integrins also act as cellular sensor and signaling molecules. Integrins contain two types of subunits called alpha and beta. All of the alpha subunits h...
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Integron
Integron: A mobile DNA element that can capture and carry genes, particularly those responsible for antibiotic resistance. Integrons do this by site-specific recombination.
There are at least three classes of integrons based upon which integrase gene they contain. The antibiotic resistance genes th...
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Intelligence quotient
Intelligence quotient: An attempt to measure the
intelligence of someone. Abbreviated IQ. The IQ score is
usually based upon the results of a written test. To
calculate the IQ, the person's mental age as determined by
a test is divided by chronologic age, and the result is
multiplied by 100. Se...
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Intelligence test
Intelligence test: A questionnaire or series of
exercises designed to measure intelligence. It is generally
understood that intelligence tests are less a measure of
innate ability to learn as of what the person tested has
already learned. There are many types of intelligence
tests, and they may...
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Intelligence, non-verbal
Intelligence, non-verbal: Innate or learned
ability to understand and carry out motor tasks, such as
solving physical puzzles. Also called performance IQ....
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Intelligence, verbal
Intelligence, verbal: Innate or learned ability
to understand and answer questions given in writing or
verbally....
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Intensity modulated radiation therapy
Intensity modulated radiation therapy: IMRT. A type of three-dimensional radiation therapy that uses computer-generated images to match radiation to the size and shape of a tumor. In IMRT, thousands of tiny radiation beamlets enter the body from many angles and intersect the tumor. Since the intensi...
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Intensive care
Intensive care: See critical care....
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Intensive care unit psychosis
Intensive care unit psychosis: A disorder in which patients
in an intensive care unit (ICU) or a similar hospital setting may
experience anxiety, become paranoid, hear voices, see things that are
not there, become severely disoriented in time and place, become very
agitated, even violent, etc. ...
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Intensivist
Intensivist: A physician who specializes in the care of critically ill patients, usually in an intensive care unit (ICU)....
