Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «P»:
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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon: Abbreviated PAH. A hydrocarbon (a molecule made up of hydrogen and carbon) containing two or more closed rings of atoms. PAHs are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) pollutant. Exposure usually occurs by breathing air contaminated by wild fires or coal tar, ...
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Polycystic kidney disease
Polycystic kidney disease: One of the genetic disorders
characterized by the development of innumerable cysts in the kidneys. These cysts are filled with fluid, and replace much of the mass of the kidneys. This reduces kidney function, leading to kidney
failure.
There are two major genetic forms o...
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Polycystic kidney disease, adult
Polycystic kidney disease, adult: See: Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal dominant
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Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal dominant
Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal dominant: A late onset disorder characterized by the progressive development of innumerable cysts in the kidney, causing hypertension, renal pain, and renal insufficiency (kidney failure).
This is a systemic disease. There are cysts in other organs such as the...
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Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal recessive
Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal recessive: An early onset disorder characterized by the presence of innumerable cysts in the kidney and enlarged kidneys that can usually be detected before birth (by ultrasound) or in the neonatal period. A minority of cases are diagnosed later in childhood....
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Polycystic kidney disease, infantile
Polycystic kidney disease, infantile:
See: Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal recessive....
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Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Polycystic ovarian syndrome: Abbreviated PCOS.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a condition in women characterized by irregular or no menstrual periods,
acne,
obesity, and excess hair growth. PCOS is a disorder of chronically abnormal ovarian function and hyperandrogenism (abnormally elevated androg...
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Polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome: Abbreviated PCOS. Polcystic ovary syndrome is a condition in women characterized by irregular or no menstrual periods,
acne,
obesity, and excess hair growth. PCOS is a disorder of chronically abnormal ovarian function and hyperandrogenism (abnormally elevated androgen lev...
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Polycythemia
Polycythemia: Too many red blood cells. The opposite of anemia. polycythemia formally exists when the hemoglobin, red blood cell (RBC) count, and total RBC volume are all above normal....
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Polycythemia vera (PV)
Polycythemia vera (PV): Overproduction
(proliferation) of red
blood cells due to bone marrow disease (myeloproferative disorder).
PV tends to evolve
into acute leukemia or a condition with the marrow replaced by scar
tissue (myelofibrosis).
To have PV, there must be
polycythemia which formally ex...
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Polydactyly
Polydactyly: More than the normal number of
fingers or toes. From the Greek "polys" (many) + "dactylos" (finger)
= many fingers or, medically, too many fingers. Polydactyly is the
opposite of oligodactyly (too few fingers or toes)....
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Polydactyly (hexadactyly)
Polydactyly (hexadactyly): The presence of an extra, sixth finger or toe, a very common congenital malformation (birth defect).
This is called hexadactyly. The word hexadactyly literally means six digits. In medical usage, hexadactyly does not specify whether the six digits are fingers or toes (a...
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Polydipsia
Polydipsia: Excessive thirst all the time. Polydipsia occurs, for
example, in untreated or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. ...
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Polyendocrinopathy syndrome, autoimmune
Polyendocrinopathy syndrome, autoimmune: A genetic autoimmune disease with an extraordinary array of clinical features but characterized most often by at least 2 of the following 3 findings: hypoparathyroidism -- underfunction of the parathyroid glands which control calcium,
candidiasis (yeast infe...
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Polygenic
Polygenic: Pertaining to two or more genes. As opposed to monogenic.
Eye color is polygenic. It is by determined by a number of genes. ...
