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May 22, 2013


Psoriasis Medications Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Psoriasis Medications article.

Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the...

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Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness th...

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Acute kidney failure: See: Acute renal failure.

Acyclovir: (Brand name: Zovirax) One of a group of antiviral drugs that acts against the...

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Albinism: A group of genetic disorders in which there is partial or total lack of the pigm...

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Alcoholism: Physical dependence on alcohol to the extent that stopping alcohol use would b...

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Allergy: A misguided reaction to foreign substances by the immune system, the body system ...

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Antipsoriatic: Directed against psoriasis. Sunlight is antipsoriatic, as are a number of d...

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Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

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Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

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Bacteriostatic: Capable of inhibiting the growth or reproduction of bacteria. Different f...

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Biopsy: The removal of a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope to check for ...

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Birth control: Birth control is the use of any practices, methods, or devices to prevent p...

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Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

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Body surface area: BSA. The total surface area of the human body. The body surface area is...

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Breastfeeding: Feeding a child human breast milk. According to the American Academy of Ped...

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Calcipotriene: A synthetic form of vitamin D3 that can be applied to the skin to treat pso...

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Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is ...

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Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

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Capsule: Capsule has many meanings in medicine including the following:

  1. In medici...

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Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of any living thing. Each cell is a small c...

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Corticosteroid: Any of the steroid hormones made by the outer portion (cortex) of the adre...

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Corticosteroid allergy: A delayed allergic reaction to corticosteroid (drugs similar to co...

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Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

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Dermatology: 1. The branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and...

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Dry skin: Abnormally dry skin. Can be caused by a dry climate, winter weather, deficiency...

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Eczema: A particular type of inflammatory reaction of the skin in which there are typicall...

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Erythromycin: Erythromycin is a common antibiotic for treating bacterial infection. Sold...

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Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

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Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

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Gastrointestinal tract: The stomach and intestines. Abbreviated GI tract.

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

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Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

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Heart failure: Inability of the heart to keep up with the demands on it and, specifically...

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High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

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Hypertension: High blood pressure, defined as a repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceedi...

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Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune response: Any reaction by the immune system. For example, poison ivy can cause an i...

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Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

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Immunosuppressive: 1. Pertaining to immunosuppression, the suppression of the immun...

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Incurable: Not amenable to a cure. Incapable of being cured, healed and made well again. ...

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Indication: 1. In medicine, a condition which makes a particular treatment or proce...

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Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

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Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

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Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on ...

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Joint: The area where two bones are attached for the purpose of permitting body parts to m...

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Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

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Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

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Liver biopsy: A procedure in which a small sample of the liver is removed for the diagnosi...

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Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

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Lupus: A chronic inflammatory disease that is caused by autoimmunity. Patients with lupus ...

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Lymphoma: A tumor of the lymphoid tissue. The major types of lymphoma are Hodgkin's diseas...

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Minipill: A form of oral contraceptive taken daily, like combined oral contraceptives (the...

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MMR: Measles, mumps, rubella vaccine, a combination vaccine.

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

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Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

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Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

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Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

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Necrosis: The death of living cells or tissues. Necrosis can be due, for example, to ische...

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Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

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Ointment: An oil-based preparation that is applied to the skin. Whereas an ointment has an...

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Outpatient: A patient who is not hospitalized, but instead comes to a physician?s office, ...

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Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

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Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

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Photosensitivity: Oversensitivity of skin to light. Photosensitivity can be a side effect ...

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Phototherapy: Treatment with light. For example, a newborn with jaundice may be put under ...

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Pigment: A substance that gives color to tissue. Pigments are responsible for the colors o...

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Plaque: 1. An semi-hardened accumulation of substances from fluids that bathe an a...

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Plaque psoriasis: The most common form of psoriasis -- about 80% of people with psoriasis ...

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Porphyria: One of a variety of hereditary diseases that are characterized by abnormalities...

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Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

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Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Proteins: Large molecules composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific orde...

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Psoralen: Any of a number of drugs and other substances containing chemicals that react wi...

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Psoriasis: A reddish, scaly rash often located over the surfaces of the elbows, knees, sca...

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Psoriatic arthritis: Joint inflammation that is associated with psoriasis. Psoriatic arthr...

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PUVA: PUVA stands for psoralen (P) and ultraviolet A (UVA) therapy in which the patient is...

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Rash: Breaking out (eruption) of the skin. A rash can be caused by an underlying medical c...

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Regimen: A plan or a regulated course, such as a diet, exercise, or treatment, that is des...

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Remission: Disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer or other disease. A remission...

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Resistance: Opposition to something, or the ability to withstand something. For example, s...

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Retinoid: 1. Vitamin A (retinol) or a naturally occurring or synthetic substance ch...

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Salicylic acid: A substance obtained from plants (white willow back and wintergreen leaves...

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Sensitivity: 1. In psychology, the quality of being sensitive. As, for example, sen...

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Sperm: A sperm is the male "gamete" or sex cell. It combines with the female &qu...

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Sulfonamides: The sulfa-related group of antibiotics, which are used to treat bacterial in...

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Sunburn: Sunburn is an inflammation of the skin that develops in response to exposure to u...

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Systemic: Affecting the entire body. A systemic disease such as diabetes can affect the wh...

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Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Thigh: The thick, muscular portion of the leg that extends from the hip to the knee. The t...

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Topical: Pertaining to a particular surface area. For example, a topical agent is applied ...

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Toxicity: The degree to which a substance (a toxin or poison) can harm humans or animals. ...

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Tuberculosis: A highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium called Mycobacterium ...

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Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be ...

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Tumor necrosis factor: One of multiple proteins capable of inducing necrosis (death) of tu...

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Ultraviolet A: One of the three types of invisible light rays (together with ultraviolet ...

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Ultraviolet B: One of the three types of invisible light rays (together with ultraviolet ...

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Vaccines: Microbial preparations of killed or modified microorganisms that can stimulate a...

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Vein: A blood vessel that carries blood that is low in oxygen content from the body back t...

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Vitamin A: Vitamin A is retinol. Carotene compounds (found, for example, in egg yolk, butt...

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Vitamin D: A steroid vitamin which promotes the intestinal absorption and metabolism of ca...

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Xeroderma: Abnormally dry skin. Xeroderma can be caused by a deficiency of vitamin A, syst...

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Xeroderma pigmentosum: A genetic disease that is characterized by such extraordinary sensi...

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