Medicine, LOU-OPI
Humans have long sought to find cures for the ailments and injuries that befall them. This has led to a long history of diverse attempted treatments, including herbal remedies, leeching, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, homeopathy, and more, all the way up to the most recent science-based treatments that have come into use during the development of today's modern medicine. Medical research and the study of the causes of disease have led to rapid and significant advances in medicine, improving both the efficacy of treatments and our understanding of illnesses and how they operate. The importance of preventive medicine has grown, and the field of medicine has become increasingly specialized as medical disciplines and branches such as endocrinology, immunology, psychiatry, radiology, epidemiology, and nanomedicine have emerged.
Medicine Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Louis Pasteurās Contributions to Science
Many people know Louis Pasteur for the process that bears his nameāpasteurization. However, Pasteur made several......
LSD
LSD, potent synthetic hallucinogenic drug that can be derived from the ergot alkaloids (as ergotamine and ergonovine,......
Lugolās solution
Lugolās solution, antiseptic mixture of iodine and potassium iodide introduced into medicine in 1829 by French......
lumbar puncture
lumbar puncture, direct aspiration (fluid withdrawal) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through a hollow needle. The......
lung ventilation/perfusion scan
lung ventilation/perfusion scan, in medicine, a test that measures both air flow (ventilation) and blood flow (perfusion)......
macrolide
macrolide, class of antibiotics characterized by their large lactone ring structures and by their growth-inhibiting......
magnetic resonance imaging
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), three-dimensional diagnostic imaging technique used to visualize organs and structures......
magnetic resonance spectroscopy
magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), diagnostic imaging technique based on the detection of metabolites in tissues.......
magnetoencephalography
magnetoencephalography (MEG), imaging technique that measures the weak magnetic fields emitted by neurons. An array......
malabsorption test
malabsorption test, any of a group of noninvasive medical procedures used to diagnose abnormalities associated......
malachite green
malachite green, triphenylmethane dye used medicinally in dilute solution as a local antiseptic. Malachite green......
malpractice
malpractice, Negligence, misconduct, lack of ordinary skill, or breach of duty in the performance of a professional......
mammography
mammography, medical procedure employing X-ray technology to detect lesions in the breast that may be indicative......
managed care
managed care, type of health insurance and system of delivering health care services that is intended to minimize......
marijuana
marijuana, crude drug composed of the leaves and flowers of plants in the genus Cannabis. The term marijuana is......
massage
massage, in medicine, systematic and scientific manipulation of body tissues, performed with the hands for therapeutic......
mastectomy
mastectomy, surgical removal of a breast, usually to remove a malignancy but also performed in the treatment of......
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic, nonprofit surgical and medical clinic with facilities located in Rochester, Minnesota; Jacksonville,......
Mayo family
Mayo family, the most famous group of physicians in the United States. Three generations of the Mayo family established......
mechanical ventilation
mechanical ventilation, the use of an automated machine to move air in and out of the lungs, doing the work of......
mediastinoscopy
mediastinoscopy, medical examination of the mediastinum (the region between the lungs and behind the sternum, or......
medical association
medical association, professional organization or learned society developed to promote high standards in medical......
medical cannabis
medical cannabis, herbal drug derived from plants of the genus Cannabis that is used as part of the treatment for......
medical examiner
medical examiner, any physician who is charged with the diligent investigation and rigorous examination of the......
medical tourism
medical tourism, international travel for the purpose of receiving medical care. Many patients engage in medical......
medication for opioid use disorder
medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), intervention used in the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), a condition......
medicine
medicine, the practice concerned with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease.......
- Introduction
- Costs, Accessibility, Quality
- Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention
- Russia, History, Practices
- Developing Countries, Health Care, Access
- Developing Countries
- Alternative, Complementary, Holistic
- Industrial, Prevention, Safety
- Geriatrics, Elderly Care, Aging
- Japanese History, Practices, & Beliefs
- Clinical Research, Evidence-Based, Diagnosis
- Surgery, Procedures, Techniques
Medicine man
Medicine man, member of an indigenous society who is knowledgeable about the magical and chemical potencies of......
medicine, history of
history of medicine, the development of the prevention and treatment of disease from prehistoric and ancient times......
- Introduction
- Traditional Asia, Surgery, Medicine
- Chinese Practices, Discoveries, & Innovations
- Japan, Traditional, Modern
- Hellenistic, Roman, Practices
- New Learning, Spread, Medical Advancements
- 18th Century, Advancements, Practices
- Germ Theory, Microbes, Vaccines
- 20th Century, Advancements, Innovations
- Immunology, Vaccines, Microbes
- Immunization, Viral Diseases, Vaccines
- Insulin, Diabetes, Treatment
- Malignant Disease, Diagnosis, Treatment
- Pre-WWI Changes
- Shock, Treatments, Prevention
- WW2, Advancements, Healthcare
- Organ Transplantation
melarsoprol
melarsoprol, antiprotozoal drug formerly used in the treatment of late-stage African trypanosomiasis (sleeping......
meldonium
meldonium, drug used to protect against tissue damage caused by ischemiaāa reduction in blood flow to a part of......
Menninger family
Menninger family, American physicians who pioneered methods of psychiatric treatment in the 20th century. Charles......
menopausal hormone therapy
menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), treatment used to relieve symptoms associated with menopause, the life stage......
meperidine
meperidine, synthetic drug used in the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is an opioid analgesic, and thus......
meprobamate
meprobamate, drug used in the treatment of anxiety. A central nervous system depressant, meprobamate acts selectively......
merbromin
merbromin, antiseptic used to prevent infection in small cuts and abrasions. Commonly marketed as Mercurochrome,......
mescaline
mescaline, naturally occurring alkaloid, the active principle contained in the flowering heads of the peyote cactus......
methadone
methadone, potent synthetic narcotic drug, among the most effective agents used in medication-assisted treatment......
methamphetamine
methamphetamine, potent and addictive synthetic stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system (the spinal......
methaqualone
methaqualone, sedative-hypnotic drug that was historically used in the treatment of insomnia and anxiety and that......
Methicillin
Methicillin, antibiotic formerly used in the treatment of bacterial infections caused by organisms of the genus......
methotrexate
methotrexate, drug used to slow the growth of certain cancers, including leukemia, breast cancer, and lung cancer.......
miasma theory
miasma theory, historically, a widely accepted explanation of disease that attributed illness to exposure to harmful......
Microarray
Microarray, laboratory technique used in the study and analysis of biological molecules, particularly DNA and proteins,......
microsurgery
microsurgery, the specialized surgical technique of observing through a compound microscope when operating on minute......
midazolam
midazolam, drug used to induce general anesthesia, to reduce anxiety during medical procedures, and to treat acute......
midwifery
midwifery, care of women in pregnancy, childbirth (parturition), and the postpartum period that often also includes......
mifepristone
mifepristone, synthetic steroid drug used together with misoprostol to induce abortion in the early weeks of pregnancy.......
mindfulness
mindfulness, concept originating in Buddhism that refers to sustained awareness of bodily sensations, emotions,......
minoxidil
minoxidil, medication that is used to treat both high blood pressure (hypertension) and baldness. Minoxidil is......
Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan
Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan, legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (5ā4), on July 1, 1982,......
MMR vaccine
MMR vaccine, suspension containing live, weakened versions of the viruses that cause three diseases: mumps, measles,......
Moderna, Inc.
Moderna, Inc. is a biotechnology company specializing in messenger RNA (mRNA) medicines and is known for developing......
monoclonal antibody
monoclonal antibody, antibody produced artificially through genetic engineering and related techniques. Production......
morphine
morphine, narcotic analgesic drug used in medicine in the form of its hydrochloride, sulfate, acetate, and tartrate......
moxibustion
moxibustion, traditional medical practice that originated in China and thence spread to Japan and other Asian countries.......
mRNA vaccine
mRNA vaccine, type of vaccine that uses a synthetic version of a molecule known as messenger RNA (mRNA) to instruct......
mucosal protective agent
mucosal protective agent, any drug that protects the mucosal lining of the stomach from acidic gastric juices.......
music therapy
music therapy, clinical discipline in which music is used to address nonmusical goals. Therapists use music listening,......
MYCIN
MYCIN, an early expert system, or artificial intelligence (AI) program, for treating blood infections. In 1972......
myelography
myelography, medical procedure for examining the spinal cord by means of X rays. It is especially useful in diagnosing......
myocardial perfusion imaging
myocardial perfusion imaging, medical procedure that uses radioactive tracers, primarily thallium, to detect abnormalities......
naloxone
naloxone, drug used to relieve potentially fatal respiratory depression caused by opioid overdose. Naloxone is......
naltrexone
naltrexone, long-acting opioid receptor antagonist used primarily in the treatment of opioid use disorder and alcohol......
narcotic
narcotic, drug that produces analgesia (pain relief), narcosis (state of stupor or sleep), and addiction (physical......
nasopharyngolaryngoscopy
nasopharyngolaryngoscopy, diagnostic medical procedure that uses a flexible fibre-optic endoscope to visualize......
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), in the United States, allowable levels of harmful air pollutants......
National Health Service
National Health Service (NHS), in Great Britain, a comprehensive public-health service under government administration,......
neonatology
neonatology, the study of the care and treatment of newborn infants, especially those born prematurely or with......
nephrology
nephrology, branch of medicine concerned with the study of kidney functions and the treatment of kidney diseases.......
neural engineering
neural engineering, in biomedicine, discipline in which engineering technologies and mathematical and computational......
neurofeedback
neurofeedback, form of therapy in which the brainās electrical activity is assessed and measured to help correct......
neurology
neurology, medical specialty concerned with the nervous system and its functional or organic disorders. Neurologists......
neuropsychiatry
neuropsychiatry, area of science and medicine focused on the integrated study of psychiatric and neurological conditions......
niacin
niacin, water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. It is also called the pellagra-preventive vitamin because an adequate......
nicotine
nicotine, naturally occurring alkaloid produced by tobacco plants and related species. Nicotine is the primary......
nitazene
nitazene, class of potent synthetic opioid drugs that are extremely effective at binding to opioid receptors, resulting......
nitroglycerin
nitroglycerin, a powerful explosive and an important ingredient of most forms of dynamite. It is also used with......
nitromersol
nitromersol, synthetic mercury-containing organic compound used as an antiseptic for the skin and mucous membranes......
nondirective psychotherapy
nondirective psychotherapy, an approach to the treatment of mental disorders that aims primarily toward fostering......
notifiable disease
notifiable disease, any of various health conditions that, upon detection, are required to be reported to public......
Novartis AG
Novartis AG, Swiss company that is one of the worldās largest manufacturers of pharmaceuticals. It was formed in......
Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk A/S is an international pharmaceutical research, development, and manufacturing corporation established......
NSAID
NSAID, drug that reduces inflammation and is effective against pain (see analgesic) and fever. Most NSAIDs are......
nuclear medicine
nuclear medicine, medical specialty that involves the use of radioactive isotopes in the diagnosis and treatment......
nuclear transfer
nuclear transfer, the introduction of the nucleus from a cell into an enucleated egg cell (an egg cell that has......
nurse practitioner
nurse practitioner (NP), nonphysician clinician who is a nurse with a graduate degree in advanced-practice nursing.......
Nursing
Nursing, health profession that assumes responsibility for the continuous care of the sick, the injured, the disabled,......
nursing home
nursing home, facility for care (usually long-term) of patients who are not sick enough to need hospital care but......
obstetrics and gynecology
obstetrics and gynecology, medical/surgical specialty concerned with the care of women from pregnancy until after......
occupational disease
occupational disease, any illness associated with a particular occupation or industry. Such diseases result from......
occupational medicine
occupational medicine, the branch of medicine concerned with the maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment......
occupational therapy
occupational therapy, use of self-care and work and play activities to promote and maintain health, prevent disability,......
Olympics: A Survey of Banned Substances
The use of performance-enhancing drugs among athletes competing in the Olympic Games is not newāas early as 1904,......
omalizumab
omalizumab, monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of moderate to severe allergic asthma, chronic spontaneous......
open-heart surgery
open-heart surgery, any surgical procedure that requires an incision into the heart, thus exposing one or more......
operating room
operating room (OR), specially designed medical facility where surgical procedures are performed under sterile......
ophthalmology
ophthalmology, medical specialty dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the eye.......
ophthalmoscope
ophthalmoscope, instrument for inspecting the interior of the eye. The ophthalmoscope generally is considered to......
opioid
opioid, class of drugs derived from substances that occur naturally in the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) and......