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ACE inhibitor
ACE inhibitor or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor , drug used to reduce elevated blood pressure (see hypertension ), to treat congestive heart failure , and to alleviate strain on hearts damaged as a result of a heart attack (see infarction ). ACE inhibitors block production of an enzy...
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antidepressant
antidepressant any of a wide range of drugs used to treat psychic depression . They are given to elevate mood, counter suicidal thoughts, and increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy . Before the introduction of such drugs in the late 1950s, most patients with major depression had no recourse ...
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psychopharmacology
psychopharmacology , in its broadest sense, the study of all pharmacological agents that affect mental and emotional functions. The term is usually applied more specifically to the study and synthesis of drugs used in the control of psychiatric illnesses, namely the antipsychotic, antianxiety, antid...
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protease inhibitor
protease inhibitor , any of a class of drugs that interfere with replication of the AIDS virus ( HIV ), by blocking an enzyme (protease) necessary in the late stages of its reproduction. Clinical trials of the protease inhibitor indinavir have shown it to be especially beneficial in combination wi...
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arthritis
arthritis painful inflammation of a joint or joints of the body, usually producing heat and redness. There are many kinds of arthritis. In its various forms, arthritis disables more people than any other chronic disorder. The condition can be brought about by nerve impairment, increased or decrease...
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heartburn
heartburn burning sensation beneath the breastbone, also called pyrosis. Heartburn does not indicate heart malfunction but results from nervous tension or overindulgence in food or drink. The sensation is produced by spasmodic constrictions of the esophagus accompanied or occasioned by regurgitatio...
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myasthenia gravis
myasthenia gravis , chronic disorder of the muscles characterized by weakness and a tendency to tire easily. It is caused by an autoimmune attack on the acetylcholine receptor of the post synaptic neuromuscular junction. The initiating event leading to antibody production is unknown. The disease is ...
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phosphorescence
phosphorescence , luminescence produced by certain substances after absorbing radiant energy or other types of energy. Phosphorescence is distinguished from fluorescence in that it continues even after the radiation causing it has ceased. Phosphorescence was first observed in the 17th cent. but ...
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catalyst
catalyst substance that can cause a change in the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being consumed in the reaction; the changing of the reaction rate by use of a catalyst is called catalysis. Substances that increase the rate of reaction are called positive catalysts or, simply, catalyst...
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borax
borax or sodium tetraborate decahydrate , chemical compound, Na 2 B 4 O 7 ·10H 2 O; sp. gr. 1.73; slightly soluble in cold water; very soluble in hot water; insoluble in acids. Borax is a colorless, monoclinic crystalline salt; it also occurs as a white powder. It readily effloresces, esp...
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