Psoriasis Medications Glossary of Terms

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

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

Acute kidney failure: See: Acute renal failure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. In medici...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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