Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «T»:
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Thrombolytic agent
Thrombolytic agent: A drug that is able to dissolve a clot (thrombus) and reopen an artery or vein. Thrombolytic agents may be used to treat a heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis (clot in a deep leg vein), pulmonary embolism, and occlusion of a peripheral artery or indwelling catheter. All th...
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Thrombophilia
Thrombophilia: The tendency to form blood clots (thrombosis). The clots can break off, travel through the bloodstream and lodge in any artery of the body (thromboembolism) and impair the normal circulation within these tissues. Thrombophilia can be inherited or acquired....
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Thrombophlebitis
Thrombophlebitis: Inflammation of a vein that occurs
when a blood clot forms. See also phlebitis....
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Thrombosis
Thrombosis: The formation or presence of a blood clot in a blood vessel. The vessel may be any vein or artery as, for example, in a deep vein thrombosis or a coronary (artery) thrombosis. The clot itself is termed a thrombus. If the clot breaks loose and travels through the bloodstream, it is a thro...
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Thrombosis, cavernous sinus
Thrombosis, cavernous sinus: A cavernous sinus thrombosis is a blood clot within the cavernous sinus, a large channel of venous blood in a cavity bordered by the sphenoid bone and the temporal bone of the skull.
The cavernous sinus is an important structure because of its location and its contents w...
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Thrombosis, deep vein (DVT)
Thrombosis, deep vein (DVT): Blood clotting in the veins of the inner thigh or leg. In air travel, DVT is the "economy-class syndrome." Even in young, health travelers the long stretches immobilized in cramped seats in cabins with very low humidity set the stage for the formation of a thrombus (bloo...
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Thrombospondin
Thrombospondin: One of a family of glycoproteins (carbohydrates complexed with proteins) that are made in cells, secreted by cells, and incorporated into cells including blood platelets (thrombocytes) from which they take their name. Five distinct forms have been identified; they are termed thrombos...
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Thrombotic disease due to protein C deficiency
Thrombotic disease due to protein C deficiency:
Protein C is a protein
in plasma that enters into the cascade of biochemical events leading
to the formation of a
clot. Deficiency of protein C results in thrombotic (clotting)
disease and excess
platelets with recurrent thrombophlebitis (inflammati...
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Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP): A life-threatening disease involving embolism and thrombosis (plugging) of the small blood vessels in the brain. TTP is characterized by platelet microthrombi (tiny traveling clots composed of platelets, the clotting cells in the blood), thrombocytopenia (l...
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Thromboxane
Thromboxane: A substance made by platelets that causes blood clotting and constriction of blood vessels. There are two thromboxanes. Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) is active but is very unstable and has a half-life of only 30 seconds before it undergoes hydrolysis to form thromboxane B2 (TXB2) which is inact...
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Thromboxane A2
Thromboxane A2: The active type of thromboxane. Abbreviated TXA2....
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Thromboxane B2
Thromboxane B2: The inactive product of thromboxane. Abbreviated TXB2...
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Thrombus
Thrombus: A blood clot in a blood vessel or within the heart. From the Greek thrombos meaning a lump or clump, or a curd or clot of milk....
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Thrush
Thrush: Yeast infection of the mouth and throat, characterized by patches of white, caused by the fungus Candida albicans .
Yeast are part of the normal flora in the mouth. They ordinarily do not cause symptoms. Certain conditions, such as antibiotic use, can disturb the natural balance of microor...
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Thumb
Thumb: The short thick finger situated at an angle to the other fingers so it can be opposed to the them, making it possible to pick up and hold things. The thumb is analogous in position to the big toe (the great toe) and similarly has only two phalanges (all the other digits have three)....
