Glossary

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D

D and C - see Dilatation and Curettage

Debridement - surgical removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue, or some foreign material from a wound or burn

Deep-vein thrombosis - the formation of a blood clot inside of a deep-lying vein, usually in the legs

Degenerative arthritis- the breakdown of the cartilage lining the bones in joints, usually weight-bearing joints (such as the knee); causes stiffness and pain (also called osteoarthritis)

Defecation - the passing of feces out of the body through the anus; a bowel movement

Dehydration - excessive, dangerous loss of water from the body

Depot injection - injection of a drug into a muscle; the drug is designed to absorb slowly into the body

Depression - feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and a general disinterest in life, which for the most part have no cause and may be the result of a psychiatric illness

Diabetes mellitus - a common form of diabetes in which the body cannot properly store or use glucose (sugar), the body's main source of energy

Dialysis - a procedure to treat kidney failure in which artificial means are used to filter waste, maintain acid-base balance, and remove excess fluid from the body

Diaper rash - a common condition in babies in which the skin in the diaper area becomes irritated and red, usually because of exposure to urine, feces, or heat

Diaphragm - the large, dome-shaped muscle separating the abdomen and chest that contracts and relaxes to make breathing possible; also, a thin, rubber dome that is used as a method of female contraception

Diastolic pressure - the blood pressure measured when the heart is at rest between beats

Dilatation and Curettage - a procedure in which the vagina and cervix are widened and the lining of the uterus is scraped away to diagnose and treat disorders of the uterus

Dislocation - displacement of the two bones in a joint

Diuretic - a drug that increases the amount of water in the urine, removing excess water from the body; used in treating high blood pressure and fluid retention

Diverticulitis - inflammation of diverticula (small sacs in the intestine's inner lining); can cause fever, pain, and tenderness

DNA - deoxyribonucleic acid; responsible for passing genetic information in nearly all organisms

Dominant gene - a gene that always produces its effect when it is present

Down syndrome - a genetic disorder in which a person's cells have 1 too many chromosomes, causing moderate to severe mental handicap and a characteristic appearance

Duchenne muscular dystrophy - a genetic condition in boys in which nerves degenerate and muscles get progressively weaker

Dysentery - a severe intestinal infection, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea with blood or mucus

Dyspnea - difficulty breathing

Dystrophy - any disorder in which cells become damaged or do not develop properly because they do not receive adequate nutrition

D

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